estimate

UK: noun: /ˈɛstɪmət/, verb: /ˈɛstɪmeɪt/

US: /v. ˈɛstəˌmeɪt; n. -mɪt/

US: (v. es′tə māt′; n. es′tə mit, -māt′)

Inflections of 'estimate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

estimates

v 3rd person singular

estimating

v pres p

estimated

v past

estimated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

es•ti•mate /v. ˈɛstəˌmeɪt; n. -mɪt/   v., -mat•ed, -mat•ing, n. 
v. 

1. to form a judgment or opinion regarding the worth, amount, size, weight, etc., of;
   calculate approximately: [~ + object]
   to estimate the cost of a college education.
   [~ + object + at + object]
   estimated the cost at about $5,000.
   [~ + (that) clause]
   Someone estimated that the cost of a college education has doubled in the last ten years.
2. to form an opinion of;
   judge: [~ + object]
   She estimated his attitude was hostile.
   [~ + (that) clause]
   I estimate that our candidate will win.

n. [countable]

3. an approximate judgment or calculation, as of the value, amount, time, size, or weight of something:
   The expert's estimate is that the painting is worth $5,000.
4. a judgment or opinion, as of the qualities of a person or thing:
   My estimate of his character was incorrect.
5. Business a statement of the approximate charge for work to be done.

es•ti•ma•tor /ˈɛstəˌmeɪtɚ/  n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

es•ti•mate  (v. es′tə māt′;n. es′tə mit, -māt′), v., -mat•ed, -mat•ing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to form an approximate judgment or opinion regarding the worth, amount, size, weight, etc., of;
   calculate approximately:
   to estimate the cost of a college education.
2. to form an opinion of;
   judge.

v.i. 

3. to make an estimate.

n. 

4. an approximate judgment or calculation, as of the value, amount, time, size, or weight of something.
5. a judgment or opinion, as of the qualities of a person or thing.
6. Business a statement of the approximate charge for work to be done, submitted by a person or business firm ready to undertake the work.

• Latin aestimātus, past participle of aestimāre to value, estimate; see -ate¹
• 1525–35

es′ti•mat′ing•ly, adv. 
es′ti•ma′tor, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. compute, count, reckon, gauge, assess, value, evaluate, appraise.
• 4. valuation, calculation, appraisal.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

estimate verb / ˈɛstɪˌmeɪt/

1. to form an approximate idea of (distance, size, cost, etc); calculate roughly; gauge
2. (tr; may take a clause as object) to form an opinion about; judge: to estimate one's chances
3. to submit (an approximate price) for (a job) to a prospective client
4. (transitive) to assign a value (a point estimate) or range of values (an interval estimate) to a parameter of a population on the basis of sampling statistics
   See estimator

noun / ˈɛstɪmɪt/

1. an approximate calculation
2. a statement indicating the likely charge for or cost of certain work
3. a judgment; appraisal; opinion

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin aestimāre to assess the worth of, of obscure origin

ˈestimative adjective