Etymograph

English

approximate

Approximate comes from Middle English approximat(e) ‘close, near (to)’, and goes back to Latin approximātus ‘approached’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEapproximātus‘approached’
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500approximat(e)‘close, near (to)’
  3. Englishtodayapproximate

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEapproximātus‘approached’
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500approximat(e)‘close, near (to)’
  3. Englishtodayapproximate

Equivalent to ap- + proximate

Proto-Indo-European *prokʷe

Latin prope ‘near’

Latin proximus ‘nearest’

Late Latin proximare ‘to draw near, approach’

Late Latin proximatus

English proximate

Every English word from Latin approximātus

Another origin of approximate

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEapproximātus‘approached’
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500approximat‘close, near (to)’
  3. Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500approximaten‘to bring, put close (to)’
  4. Englishtodayapproximate

Today it means

adj Approaching; proximate; nearly resembling.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Latin approximātus / approximate

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