caliber
nounUK /ˈkæl.ɪ.bə(ɹ)/ · US /ˈkæl.ə.bɚ/
Etymology From French calibre (“bore of a gun, size, capacity (literally, and figuratively), also weight”), from Italian calibro.
8 senses
- 1Diameter of the bore of a firearm, typically measured…
- 2The diameter of round or cylindrical body, as of a…
- 3A nominal name for a cartridge type, which may not…
- 4Unit of measure used to express the length of the bore…
- 5Relative size, importance, magnitude.
- 6Capacity or compass of mind.
- 7Degree of importance or station in society.
- 8Movement of a timepiece.
US Diameter of the bore of a firearm, typically measured between opposite lands.
US The diameter of round or cylindrical body, as of a bullet, a projectile, or a column.
US A nominal name for a cartridge type, which may not exactly indicate its true size and may include other measurements such as cartridge length or black powder capacity. Eg 7.62×39 or 38.40.
US Unit of measure used to express the length of the bore of a weapon. The number of calibres is determined by dividing the length of the bore of the weapon, from the breech face of the tube to the muzzle, by the diameter of its bore. A gun tube the bore of which is 40 feet (480 inches) long and 12 inches in diameter is said to be 40 calibers long.
US, Figuratively Relative size, importance, magnitude.
- A snort of about the calibre of an explosion in an ammunition dump escaped my late father's sister.1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter XIII, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:
US, Figuratively Capacity or compass of mind.
- Derived terms
- calibered, monocaliber, multicaliber, polycaliber, subcaliber
- Related terms
- calibrate, calibration, calipers