exact

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Completely correct and accurate in every detail.

   The clock keeps exact time.

2. 2
   adj

   Careful and accurate; paying close attention to detail.

   An engineer must be exact when measuring materials.

3. 3
   verb

   To demand and force someone to give or do something.

   The empire exacted heavy taxes from the conquered people.

Simplified etymology

Exact was borrowed from Latin exagere, “to drive or lead out,” and first entered English as a verb meaning to demand goods or money as payment or tax. The adjective appeared in the mid-16th century with senses such as “accurate” and “highly skilled,” and the modern contrast with “approximate” is first recorded in the early 17th century.

From Latin exāctus (the verb via Middle English exact), perfect passive participle of exigō (“demand, claim as due; measure by a standard, weigh, test”), from ex (“out”) + agō (“drive”).

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary