Word of the Day: Estimate
To estimate something is to guess at an amount. You can use this word as a verb, a noun, or as an adjective. In these sentences, “estimate” is a verb:
- My mechanic estimated the total costs for repairs on my car would amount to $350.
- How much time do you estimate it will take to walk to the nearest grocery store?
- Doctors estimated that the man had only a few more months to live.
- A real estate appraiser estimates the value of a person’s house. (This information is necessary prior to the purchase or refinancing of a house.)
When this word is used as a noun, the vowel sound on the third syllable changes: estimate. Do you hear the difference? As a verb, you pronounce the word as estimate. As a noun, you pronounce it estimate. (a short “i” sound.)
- How much was the estimate?
- The estimate came to $350.
- We need an estimate on some plumbing work.
- Can I get an estimate?
You can also use “estimation” as a noun. In this case, there can be a few different meanings for the word:
- The estimation for the work on my car was kind of high.
- What is your estimation of the political situation in Egypt?
As an adjective, the word changes slightly to “estimated.”
- Our estimated time of arrival is 10:30. (A popular abbreviation for this is “ETA.”)
- The estimated costs were much higher than the actual costs for the repair work.
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with E page to see the list of all words starting with letter E. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.
