precise

A2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /pɹɪˈsaɪs/ See IPA manual

Freq #5562

Meanings

1

adj
Exact, clear, and accurate.

Please give me the precise time of your arrival.
2

adj
Careful and exact about details.

She has a precise mind and never overlooks a mistake.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · exact, clear, and accurate. accurate exact

Word family

Derived forms hyperprecisenonpreciseoverpreciseprecisely precisenessprecisianprecisificationprecisifyprissypseudoprecisesuperpreciseultraprecise

Related forms repeatable

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

precise measurement
a measurement made with close attention to exact detail

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Precise entered English in the late Middle English period and ultimately derives from Latin caedere, “to cut”; its literal underlying sense is “cut in advance” or “cut short.”

Etymology

From Middle French précis, from Latin praecīsus, perfect passive participle of praecīdere, from prae- (“before, in front”) + caedere (“cut; strike”), cognate with hit. Related to incise. Doublet of précis.

*preh₂- Proto-Indo-European précis Middle French praecīsus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# precise

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /pɹɪˈsaɪs/
**Frequency rank:** 5562

## Meanings
1. Exact, clear, and accurate.
2. Careful and exact about details.

## Examples
- Please give me the precise time of your arrival.
- She has a precise mind and never overlooks a mistake.

## Derived Forms
- hyperprecise
- nonprecise
- overprecise
- precisely
- preciseness
- precisian
- precisification
- precisify
- prissy
- pseudoprecise
- superprecise
- ultraprecise

## Related Forms
- repeatable

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *preh₂-
- Root: précis
- Root: praecīsus

## Etymology
From Middle French précis, from Latin praecīsus, perfect passive participle of praecīdere, from prae- (“before, in front”) + caedere (“cut; strike”), cognate with hit. Related to incise. Doublet of précis.

## AI Etymology
Precise comes from Middle French précis, from Latin praecīsus, perfect passive participle of praecīdere, from prae- (“before, in front”) + caedere (“cut; strike”), cognate with hit. Related to incise. Doublet of précis. The historical chain includes *preh₂- (Proto-Indo-European), précis (Middle French), praecīsus (Latin). In present-day English it covers exact, clear, and accurate and careful and exact about details. The wider family includes derived forms such as hyperprecise, nonprecise, overprecise, precisely, preciseness and related forms such as repeatable.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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