Wiktionary

estimate

English

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Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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  • (UK)
    • (noun): IPA(key): /ˈɛs.tɪ.mət/
    • (verb): IPA(key): /ˈɛs.tɪˌmeɪt/
  • (US)
    • (noun):IPA(key): /ˈɛs.tə.mət/
    • Audio (US):(file)
    • (verb): IPA(key): /ˈɛs.təˌmeɪt/
    • Audio (US):(file)

Etymology 1

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From Middle English estimat, borrowed from Latin aestimātus (“valuing, estimate”, only used in the ablative singular: "aestimātū..." (in valuing...)), from aestimō +‎ -tus (“action noun-forming suffix”).

Noun

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estimate (plural estimates)

  1. A rough calculation or assessment of the value, size, or cost of something.
    Synonyms: estimation, appraisal
    Coordinate term: esteem
  2. (construction and business) A document (or verbal notification) specifying how much a job is likely to cost.
    Hypernym: quote
    • 1928, Lawrence R. Bourne, chapter 3, in Well Tackled!‎[1]:
      “They know our boats will stand up to their work,” said Willison, “and that counts for a good deal. A low estimate from us doesn't mean scamped work, but just that we want to keep the yard busy over a slack time.”
  3. An upper limitation on some positive quantity.
    • 1992, Louis de Branges, “The convergence of Euler functions”, in Journal of Functional Analysis, →DOI, page 185:
      The desired norm estimate is now obtained from the identity... [referring to an earlier statement saying that a certain norm is less than or equal to a certain expression]
Derived terms
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Translations
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Etymology 2

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Borrowed from Latin aestimātus, perfect passive participle of aestimō (“to estimate”) (see -ate), older form aestumō (“to value, rate, esteem”); from Old Latin *ais-temos (“one who cuts copper”), meaning one in the Roman Republic who mints money. Compare Middle English estymatt (“reputed”) / estimat. See also the doublet esteem, as well as aim.

Verb

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estimate (third-person singular simple present estimates, present participle estimating, simple past and past participle estimated)

  1. To calculate roughly, often from imperfect data.
    • 1965, Ian Hacking, Logic of Statistical Inference‎[2]:
      I estimate that I need 400 board feet of lumber to complete a job, and then order 350 because I do not want a surplus, or perhaps order 450 because I do not want to make any subsequent orders.
    • 2003, Alexander J. Field, Gregory Clark, William A. Sundstrom, Research in Economic History‎[3]:
      Higher real prices for durables are estimated to have reduced their consumption per capita by 1.09% in 1930, […]
  2. To judge and form an opinion of the value of, from imperfect data.
    • 1691, [John Locke], Some Considerations of the Consequences of the Lowering of Interest, and Raising the Value of Money. […], London: […] Awnsham and John Churchill, […], published 1692, →OCLC:
      It is by the weight of silver, and not the name of the piece, that men estimate commodities and exchange them.
    • 1870, John Campbell Shairp, Culture and Religion in Some of Their Relations:
      It is always very difficult to estimate the age in which you are living.
Synonyms
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Derived terms
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Translations
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Etymology 3

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From Latin aestimātus (“estimated”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and Etymology 2 for more. Originally used as the past participle of estimate; compare generate or communicate.

Adjective

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estimate (comparative more estimate, superlative most estimate)

  1. (obsolete, rare) estimated

Further reading

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Anagrams

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Italian

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Etymology 1

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Verb

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estimate

  1. inflection of estimare:
    1. second-person plural present indicative
    2. second-person plural imperative

Etymology 2

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Participle

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estimate f pl

  1. feminine plural of estimato

Anagrams

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Spanish

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Verb

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estimate

  1. second-person singular voseo imperative of estimar combined with te
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