imprecision

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˌɪmprəˈsɪʒən/ UK /ˌɪmprɪˈsɪʒən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
lack of exactness or accuracy

The imprecision of the early maps led explorers badly astray.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · lack of exactness or accuracy inexactnessinaccuracy vaguenessloosenessapproximation

Opposites

precision exactness accuracy

Word family

Related forms imprecise precise precision

Etymology

From in- ('not') + precision, from Latin praecisio ('a cutting off'), from praecidere ('to cut off'), from prae- ('before') + caedere ('to cut').

praecisio Latin caedere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# imprecision

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌɪmprəˈsɪʒən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɪmprɪˈsɪʒən/

## Meanings
1. lack of exactness or accuracy

## Examples
- The imprecision of the early maps led explorers badly astray.

## Synonyms
- inexactness
- inaccuracy
- vagueness
- looseness
- approximation

## Antonyms
- precision
- exactness
- accuracy

## Related Forms
- imprecise
- precise
- precision

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

## Etymology
From in- ('not') + precision, from Latin praecisio ('a cutting off'), from praecidere ('to cut off'), from prae- ('before') + caedere ('to cut').

## AI Etymology
imprecision comes from in- ('not') + precision, from Latin praecisio ('a cutting off'), from praecidere ('to cut off'), from prae- ('before') + caedere ('to cut'). Morphologically, the prefixed shape matters: the initial element belongs to the recorded formation and helps explain the modern form's surface analysis. In present English, the noun sense is "lack of exactness or accuracy", so the historical development ends in a clearly identifiable modern dictionary use. The same base also appears in related forms such as imprecise, precise, and precision. Its semantic neighborhood includes inexactness, inaccuracy, vagueness, and looseness, which helps locate the modern sense without adding a separate etymological claim. The named historical forms include Latin praecisio and Latin caedere.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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