magnitude

noun

mag·​ni·​tude ˈmag-nə-ˌtüd How to pronounce magnitude (audio)
-ˌtyüd
1
a
: great size or extent
cannot wage a war of such magnitudeA. N. Whitehead
the magnitude of an earthquake
b(1)
: spatial quality : size
able to operate only over distances of very small magnitudeG. W. Gray
(2)
: quantity, number
the savings in amounts of metal … will be of dramatically significant magnitudesAmerican Fabrics
2
: the importance, quality, or caliber of something
evil of such magnitude as must, if possible, be preventedJane Austen
a writer of first magnitudeRichard Plant
3
: a number representing the intrinsic (see intrinsic sense 1a) or apparent brightness of a celestial (see celestial entry 1 sense 2) body on a logarithmic scale in which an increase of one unit corresponds to a reduction in the brightness of light by a factor of 2.512
4
: a numerical quantitative measure expressed usually as a multiple of a standard unit
5
: the intensity of an earthquake represented by a number on an arbitrary scale
a magnitude six earthquake

Examples of magnitude in a Sentence

the magnitude of the issue can scarcely be overstated the mountain's sheer magnitude usually leaves tourists speechless
Recent Examples on the Web There’s always background noise in India after a defeat of any kind, let alone one of this magnitude. Tim Ellis, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 The bank’s economists expect the pressure could ease as the Fed lowers interest rates, though the magnitude of the cuts could come into question if inflation proves sticky. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2024 Economists widely expect that tariffs of this magnitude would increase prices paid by U.S. shoppers, since importers typically pass along the cost of higher taxes to consumers. Max Zahn, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2024 But Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, said that the magnitude of Trump’s current tariff proposals has vastly changed the calculations. Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for magnitude 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'magnitude.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin magnitudo, from magnus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of magnitude was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near magnitude

Cite this Entry

“Magnitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnitude. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

magnitude

noun
mag·​ni·​tude ˈmag-nə-ˌt(y)üd How to pronounce magnitude (audio)
1
a
: great size or extent : bigness
2
: the importance of something in influence or effect
3
: degree of brightness
especially : a number representing the brightness of a star
4
: the intensity of an earthquake represented by a number on a scale

Medical Definition

magnitude

noun
mag·​ni·​tude ˈmag-nə-ˌt(y)üd How to pronounce magnitude (audio)
: relative size or extent

More from Merriam-Webster on magnitude

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