caliber

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A caliber is a measure of size or quality.

When people talk about guns, they often refer to the caliber - it's the size of the bullet that comes out of the gun. For example, if someone says their pistol has a .38 caliber, it means the bullets are 0.37 inches in diameter. But caliber can also mean the skill or level of something, like a musician's caliber or the caliber of a student at a prestigious school. In this sense, it's a way to rate or measure how good someone or something is.

How common is "caliber"?

Word caliber is considered rare in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

noun

Diameter of the bore of a firearm, typically measured between opposite lands.
The diameter of round or cylindrical body, as of a bullet, a projectile, or a column.
A nominal name for a cartridge type, which may not exactly indicate its true size and may include other measurements such as cartridge length or black powder capacity. Eg 7.62×39 or 38.40.
Unit of measure used to express the length of the bore of a weapon. The number of calibres is determined by dividing the length of the bore of the weapon, from the breech face of the tube to the muzzle, by the diameter of its bore. A gun tube the bore of which is 40 feet (480 inches) long and 12 inches in diameter is said to be 40 calibers long.
(figuratively) Relative size, importance, magnitude.
(figuratively) Capacity or compass of mind.
(dated) Degree of importance or station in society.
(horology) Movement of a timepiece.

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Real examples of "caliber" in context

Can You Shoot a Grenade Out of the Air? | MythBusters | Discovery

Entertainment

Next up is a .45 caliber round pointed at the grenade.

12:50

We've got a .308 round, a .45 caliber pistol round, and a 12 gauge double-aught buck round.

9:30

caliber

How common is "caliber"?

noun

Real examples of "caliber" in context

Can You Shoot a Grenade Out of the Air? | MythBusters | Discovery

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