approximation
nounUK /əˌprɒksɪˈmeɪʃn/
US /əˌprɑːksɪˈmeɪʃn/
A guess that is close to the real answer but not exact.
The teacher said ten is a good approximation of how many apples are in the basket.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A thing that is similar to something else but not exactly the same.
The toy is a small approximation of a real airplane.
3. The act of making something come close to a certain standard or quality.
The new playground is an approximation of the one in the city park.
4. A number or amount that is close to the correct one.
We used an approximation of the cost to plan our trip.