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caliber

caliber definition

cali·ber (kal′ə bər)

noun

the size of a bullet or shell as measured by its diameter
the diameter of the bore of a gun, usually measured in hundredths of inches or in millimeters
the diameter of a cylindrical body or of its hollowed interior
degree of worth or value of a person or thing; quality or ability

Etymology: Fr & Sp, ult. < Ar qālib, a mold, last, < Aram < Gr kalopodion, shoemaker's last, lit., little wooden foot < kalon, wood + pous (gen. podos), foot

Also, esp. Brit., calibre cal′i·bre

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
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