precise
/pɹɪˈsaɪs/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.13 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Consistent, clustered close together, agreeing with each other (this does not mean that they cluster near the true, correct, or accurate value).
adj
Adhering too much to rules; prim or punctilious.
Example Sentences
- "precise definition"
- "highly precise"
- "precise calculation"
- "Please give a precise measurement of the room."
- "Her precise instructions made the task easier."
- "A memory is "precise" when the occurrences that would verify it are narrowly circumscribed: for instance, "I met Jones" is precise as compared to "I met a man." A memory is "accurate" when it is both precise and true, i.e. in the above instance, if it was Jones I met."
Etymology
From Middle French précis, from Latin praecīsus, perfect passive participle of praecīdere, from prae- (“before, in front”) + caedere (“cut; strike”), cognate with hit. Related to incise. Doublet of précis.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Usage
Inflected Forms
more precise (comparative)
preciser (comparative)
most precise (superlative)
precisest (superlative)
præcise (alternative, archaic)
precises (present, singular)
precising (participle, present)
precised (participle, past)
precised (past)