Definitions for magnitude
ˈmæg nɪˌtud, -ˌtyudmag·ni·tude

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:3.0 / 8 votes

1. magnitudenoun

   the property of relative size or extent (whether large or small)

   "they tried to predict the magnitude of the explosion"; "about the magnitude of a small pea"

2. order of magnitude, magnitudenoun

   a number assigned to the ratio of two quantities; two quantities are of the same order of magnitude if one is less than 10 times as large as the other; the number of magnitudes that the quantities differ is specified to within a power of 10

3. magnitudenoun

   relative importance

   "a problem of the first magnitude"

GCIDERate this definition:3.7 / 3 votes

1. Magnitudenoun

   (Astron.) See magnitude of a star, below.

2. Magnitudenoun

   (Opt.), the angular breadth of an object viewed as measured by the angle which it subtends at the eye of the observer; -- called also apparent diameter. 2. (Astron.) Same as magnitude of a star, below. -- Magnitude of a star (Astron.), the rank of a star with respect to brightness. About twenty very bright stars are said to be of first magnitude, the stars of the sixth magnitude being just visible to the naked eye; called also visual magnitude, apparent magnitude, and simply magnitude. Stars observable only in the telescope are classified down to below the twelfth magnitude. The difference in actual brightness between magnitudes is now specified as a factor of 2.512, i.e. the difference in brightness is 100 for stars differing by five magnitudes.

WiktionaryRate this definition:3.0 / 2 votes

1. magnitudenoun

   The absolute or relative size, extent or importance of something.

2. magnitudenoun

   A number, assigned to something, such that it may be compared to others numerically

3. magnitudenoun

   Of a vector, the norm, most commonly, the two-norm.

4. magnitudenoun

   The apparent brightness of a star (on a negative, logarithmic scale); apparent magnitude

5. magnitudenoun

   A measure of the energy released by an earthquake (e.g. on the Richter scale).

6. Etymology: From magnitudo;

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Magnitudenoun

   Etymology: magnitudo, Latin.

   1. Greatness; grandeur.

   With plain heroick magnitude of mind,
   And celestial vigour arm’d,
   Their armories and magazines contemns. John Milton, Agonist.

   2. Comparative bulk.

   This tree hath no extraordinary magnitude, touching the trunk or stem; it is hard to find any one bigger than the rest. Walter Raleigh, Hist. of the World.

   Never repose so much upon any man’s single counsel, fidelity, and discretion, in managing affairs of the first magnitude, that is, matters of religion and justice, as to create in yourself, or others, a diffidence of your own judgment. Charles I .

   When I behold this goodly frame, this world,
   Of heav’n and earth consisting; and compute
   Their magnitudes; this earth a spot, a grain,
   An atom, with the firmament compar’d. John Milton, Par. Lost.

   Convince the world that you’re devout and true;
   Whatever be your birth, you’re sure to be
   A peer of the first magnitude to me. John Dryden, Juv.

   Conceive these particles of bodies to be so disposed amongst themselves, that the intervals of empty spaces between them may be equal in magnitude to them all; and that these particles may be composed of other particles much smaller, which have as much empty space between them as equals all the magnitudes of these smaller particles. Isaac Newton, Opticks.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:4.5 / 2 votes

1. Magnitudenoun

   extent of dimensions; size; -- applied to things that have length, breath, and thickness

2. Magnitudenoun

   that which has one or more of the three dimensions, length, breadth, and thickness

3. Magnitudenoun

   anything of which greater or less can be predicated, as time, weight, force, and the like

4. Magnitudenoun

   greatness; grandeur

5. Magnitudenoun

   greatness, in reference to influence or effect; importance; as, an affair of magnitude

6. Etymology: [L. magnitudo, from magnus great. See Master, and cf. Maxim.]

FreebaseRate this definition:5.0 / 2 votes

1. Magnitude

   In mathematics, magnitude is the size of a mathematical object, a property by which the object can be compared as larger or smaller than other objects of the same kind. More formally, an object's magnitude is an ordering of the class of objects to which it belongs.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Magnitude

   mag′ni-tūd, n. greatness: size: extent: importance. [L. magnitudo—magnus.]

Matched Categories

1. • Importance
   • Property
   • Ratio

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'magnitude' in Nouns Frequency: #3000

How to pronounce magnitude?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say magnitude in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of magnitude in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of magnitude in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of magnitude in a Sentence

1. Bill Bunting:

   Looking back on 2011, it was the sheer magnitude of the number of events, the fact that so many hit populated areas and, of course, the incredibly high toll in terms of deaths, injuries and dollar damage.

2. Chuck Hagel:

   This is folly. This is political distraction of the highest magnitude.

3. Trillium Asset Management:

   The sheer volume, magnitude, and frequency of Facebook's controversies strongly suggests that the company's whack-a-mole approach is insufficient - Facebook needs to institutionalize stronger risk oversight mechanisms.

4. William Reinsch:

   This is continuing to grow in scope and magnitude, it could end being really, really big, and really, really serious.

5. Celal Sengor:

   We can foretell that an earthquake of that magnitude will happen soon, but that is the best we can do. There is no way you can predict it.

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