MAGNITUDE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does magnitude mean? 

• MAGNITUDE (noun)
  The noun MAGNITUDE has 3 senses:

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

2. 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. relative importance

  Familiarity information: MAGNITUDE used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MAGNITUDE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

about the magnitude of a small pea

Hypernyms ("magnitude" is a kind of...):

property (a basic or essential attribute shared by all members of a class)

Attribute:

measurable; mensurable (capable of being measured)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "magnitude"):

absolute magnitude ((astronomy) the magnitude that a star would have if it were viewed from a distance of 10 parsecs (32.62 light years) from the earth)

dimension; proportion (magnitude or extent)

order; order of magnitude (a degree in a continuum of size or quantity)

dimension (the magnitude of something in a particular direction (especially length or width or height))

degree (the seriousness of something (e.g., a burn or crime))

amplitude (greatness of magnitude)

multiplicity (the property of being multiple)

triplicity (the property of being triple)

size (the physical magnitude of something (how big it is))

size (a large magnitude)

bulk; mass; volume (the property of something that is great in magnitude)

muchness (greatness of quantity or measure or extent)

intensity; intensity level; strength (the amount of energy transmitted (as by acoustic or electromagnetic radiation))

amount (the relative magnitude of something with reference to a criterion)

extent (the distance or area or volume over which something extends)

Derivation:

magnify (make large)

magnify (increase in size, volume or significance)

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Synonyms:

magnitude; order of magnitude

Hypernyms ("magnitude" is a kind of...):

ratio (the relative magnitudes of two quantities (usually expressed as a quotient))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Relative importance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

a problem of the first magnitude

Hypernyms ("magnitude" is a kind of...):

importance (the quality of being important and worthy of note)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "magnitude"):

extensiveness; largeness (large or extensive in breadth or importance or comprehensiveness)

Derivation:

magnify (increase in size, volume or significance)

 Context examples 

The magnitude of something in a particular direction, especially length or width or height.

(Dimension, NCI Thesaurus)

The degree or magnitude of strength, energy, or feeling.

(Intensity, NCI Thesaurus)

The asteroid's apparent magnitude at that time will be about 11.5, rendering it unobservable to the unaided eye.

(Small Asteroid to Safely Pass Close to Earth Sunday, NASA)

Magnitude 6.3 according to Phivolcs, it was recorded as magnitude 6.4 by the US Geological Survey.

(Aftershocks increase death toll of magnitude 6.3 earthquake in southern Philippines, Wikinews)

In studies, its lipid-lowering effects were of a magnitude similar to that of the statins, but unlike statins, it had the ability to lower Lp(a), a risk factor in atherosclerosis.

(Lifibrol, NCI Thesaurus)

Notable in size, number, measure, magnitude, degree, or effectiveness.

(Greater, NCI Thesaurus)

Using this method, the researchers were able to determine the specific area that regulates the magnitude of taste aversion, called the basolateral complex.

(Researchers identify area of the amygdala involved in taste aversion, University of Granada)

The range, magnitude, or distance over which a thing spans an interval of distance, space, or time.

(Extent, NCI Thesaurus)

The results showed that reward-related feedback responses in a brain area called the dorsal striatum at age 14-15 predicted the magnitude of pain symptoms at age 16-17.

(Study in Teens Shows Brain Responses to Rewards Linked to Pain Sensitivity, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Thus, the magnitude of the asymmetry in gravity determines how deep the jet streams extend.

(Jupiter’s Jet-Streams Are Unearthly, NASA)