magnitude

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the property of relative size or extent, whether large or small

   They tried to predict the magnitude of the explosion.

2. 2
   noun

   relative importance

   a problem of the first magnitude

3. 3
   noun

   a number assigned to the ratio of two quantities

   two quantities are of the same order of magnitude if one is less than 10 times as large as the other

4. 4
   noun

   The absolute or relative size, extent or importance of something.

   And on a programme of works of this magnitude, passengers will need to be mindful of the age-old maxim of 'no gain without pain'.

5. 5
   noun

   An order of magnitude.

6. 6
   noun

   A number, assigned to something, such that it may be compared to others numerically

7. 7
   noun

   Of a vector, the norm, most commonly, the two-norm.

8. 8
   noun

   A logarithmic scale of brightness defined so that a difference of 5 magnitudes is a factor of 100.

Etymology

From Latin magnitūdō (“greatness, size”), magnus + -tūdō.