proximity
noun
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The fact that the star closest in proximity to our sun (approximately 4.2 light-years distant) is named Proxima Centauri is no coincidence. The history of proximity hinges on the idea of closeness, both physical and metaphorical. English speakers borrowed the word from Middle French, which in turn acquired it from forms of the Latin adjective proximus, meaning "nearest" or "next." Close relatives of proximity in English include proximal, proximate, and the somewhat more rare approximal (meaning "contiguous"). A number of other languages, including Catalan, Portuguese, and Italian, have similar words that come from the Latin proximus.
Examples of proximity in a Sentence
Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
Newcomers to Congress and business-world mainstays are planting roots in proximity to the nation’s great halls of power, too.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 18 Apr. 2025
This is because the appeal and societal acceptance of straight hair is inextricably linked to a proximity to whiteness, which to some, lands as the antithesis to the natural hair movement as a whole.
—Tayler Adigun, Essence, 16 Apr. 2025
Cause of fire not known The fire's proximity to a main road also posed a major challenge for crews to bring enough water to combat the blaze.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proximity
Cite this Entry
“Proximity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proximity. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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proximity
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