Also spelled calibre
Meanings
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1
noun
the level of quality, ability, or importance of a person or thing
The orchestra attracts musicians of the highest caliber.
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2
noun
the internal diameter of a gun barrel or the corresponding diameter of its ammunition
The markings identify the caliber of ammunition the rifle accepts.
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3
noun
the diameter of a cylindrical or roughly round object
Engineers measured the caliber of each metal tube before installation.
Thesaurus
Etymology
From French calibre, from Italian calibro. The Italian word is generally traced to Arabic qalib ("mold, model, shoemaker's last"). A term for physical dimensions, especially a gun's bore, later developed the figurative sense of a person's or thing's quality.