imprecise

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌɪmprɪˈsaɪs/ UK /ˌɪmprɪˈsaɪs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
not exact, accurate, or clearly defined

His directions were too imprecise for us to find the cabin.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not exact, accurate, or... inexact vague inaccurate loose approximate indefinite fuzzy

Opposites

precise exact accurate

Word family

Derived forms impreciselyimpreciseness

Related forms precise imprecision precision

Etymology

From in- ('not') + precise, the latter from Latin praecisus ('cut off, abridged'), past participle of praecidere ('to cut off'), from prae- ('before') + caedere ('to cut').

praecisus Latin caedere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

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# imprecise

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌɪmprɪˈsaɪs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɪmprɪˈsaɪs/

## Meanings
1. not exact, accurate, or clearly defined

## Examples
- His directions were too imprecise for us to find the cabin.

## Synonyms
- inexact
- vague
- inaccurate
- loose
- approximate
- indefinite
- fuzzy

## Antonyms
- precise
- exact
- accurate

## Derived Forms
- imprecisely
- impreciseness

## Related Forms
- precise
- imprecision
- precision

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: praecisus
- Root: caedere

## Etymology
From in- ('not') + precise, the latter from Latin praecisus ('cut off, abridged'), past participle of praecidere ('to cut off'), from prae- ('before') + caedere ('to cut').

## AI Etymology
Imprecise comes from in- ('not') + precise, the latter from Latin praecisus ('cut off, abridged'), past participle of praecidere ('to cut off'), from prae- ('before') + caedere ('to cut'). The prefix supplies the first semantic turn, while the base carries the lexical core of the word. As an adjective, it carries the sense "not exact, accurate, or clearly defined", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin praecisus and Latin caedere. Derivative forms include imprecisely, impreciseness; related words include precise, imprecision, precision.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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