calibre
gb/kˈælˈɪbɹ/ us/kˈælˈɪbɹ/
B2
English
~ 9300
színvonal, kaliber, űrméret, belső átmérő
NOUN
B2
1
Usage pattern:
the calibre of [someone/something]
The company only hires engineers of the highest calibre.
A cég csak a legkiválóbb mérnököket veszi fel.
We were impressed by the calibre of applicants for the scholarship.
Lenyűgözött minket az ösztöndíjra jelentkezők színvonala.
She is a writer of such calibre that critics compare her to the greats.
The team lacks players of sufficient calibre to compete at that level.
Universities are trying to attract students of a higher academic calibre.
Learner examples
The manager is of very high calibre.
A vezető nagyon magas színvonalat képvisel.
This school wants teachers of the best calibre.
Ez az iskola a legkiválóbb tanárokat keresi.
The calibre of the work in this class is excellent.
They could not find players of the right calibre.
We were surprised by the low calibre of the report.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'calibre' with 'caliber' and think they are different words; they are the same word with British and American spelling. Another mistake is using it before a noun like an adjective (*'a calibre student'*); in this sense, it is usually used after 'of' (e.g. 'a student of this calibre') or in the fixed phrase 'of high calibre'.
Meaning
level of quality or ability
Collocations
high calibre
|low calibre
|of the highest calibre
|students of this calibre
|world-class calibre
|professional calibre
Synonyms
quality (Most general; does not always imply comparison with others the way 'calibre' often does.)
|
standard (Focuses on the accepted or expected level, while 'calibre' stresses how impressive the person or thing is.)
|
ability (Refers mainly to what a person can do, while 'calibre' can describe people, work, ideas, or things.)
Antonyms
mediocrity (Highlights an ordinary or average level, the opposite of the usually high level implied by 'calibre'.)
|
poor quality (Describes something that is clearly bad or weak in quality, the opposite of high calibre.)
Themes
evaluation
|people
|work
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
How good or skilled someone or something is, compared with others.
The level of quality, skill, or ability that someone or something has, especially compared with others.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
2
Usage pattern:
[number]-calibre [gun/weapon]
The rifle fires .22 calibre rounds, which are popular for target shooting.
A puska .22-es kaliberű lőszert tüzel, amely népszerű a céllövészetben.
Police recovered several 9mm calibre bullets from the scene.
A rendőrség több 9 mm-es kaliberű lövedéket talált a helyszínen.
A small-calibre weapon was used, suggesting a handgun rather than a rifle.
The new artillery system can fire shells of a much larger calibre.
Officers are trained to recognise different calibres of ammunition.
Learner examples
The gun is a .38 calibre revolver.
A fegyver egy .38-as kaliberű revolver.
They found bullets of the same calibre as the gun.
A fegyverrel azonos kaliberű lövedékeket találtak.
A small-calibre gun is easier to carry.
Soldiers must know the calibre of their weapons.
The two rifles use different calibres of bullet.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think a higher calibre always means a more powerful or better gun. While a larger calibre means a wider bullet or barrel, a weapon’s power also depends on many other factors, such as barrel length and the amount of propellant. Also, note the spelling difference: British English uses 'calibre', while American English usually writes 'caliber'.
Meaning
diameter of gun barrel or bullet
Collocations
.22 calibre
|9mm calibre
|small-calibre rifle
|large-calibre gun
|medium-calibre weapon
|artillery calibre
Synonyms
bore (More technical; refers specifically to the inside diameter of a gun barrel and is less common in everyday news language.)
|
bullet size (Informal paraphrase; less precise and not typically used as a technical measurement term.)
Antonyms
blank (A blank cartridge has no bullet at all, so there is effectively no bullet calibre to measure.)
Themes
weapons
|measurement
|engineering
|science
|technology
Definition
The size across the inside of a gun barrel, or the size across a bullet, usually shown as a number like .22 or 9 mm.
The internal diameter of a gun barrel, or the diameter of the bullet or shell it fires, usually given as a number in millimetres or inches.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
3
belső átmérő
B2
kaliber
C1
Usage pattern:
the calibre of [a tube/pipe/vessel]
The surgeon noted that the artery had a significantly reduced calibre.
A sebész megjegyezte, hogy az artéria belső átmérője jelentősen csökkent.
Pipes with a larger internal calibre are required to handle the increased flow.
A megnövekedett áramláshoz nagyobb belső átmérőjű csövekre van szükség.
The study measured changes in bronchial calibre after treatment.
Engineers adjusted the calibre of the tubing to improve system pressure.
Imaging showed normal vascular calibre throughout the limb.
Learner examples
The doctor said the blood vessel has a small calibre.
Az orvos azt mondta, hogy az ér belső átmérője kicsi.
We need a pipe with a bigger calibre for this job.
Ehhez a munkához nagyobb belső átmérőjű csőre van szükség.
The calibre of the tube controls how much water can pass.
A narrow calibre in the artery can be dangerous.
They measured the calibre of each metal tube.
Common mistake:
Because this sense is technical, learners may wrongly assume 'calibre' here means 'quality'. In medical or engineering texts, when you read about 'arterial calibre' or 'pipe calibre', it refers to the internal width, not how good or bad the artery or pipe is.
Meaning
internal diameter of tube or pipe
Collocations
pipe calibre
|arterial calibre
|vascular calibre
|narrowed calibre
|normal calibre
Synonyms
internal diameter (More explicit and widely understood outside specialist fields; exactly matches the technical idea of 'calibre' in this sense.)
|
lumen size (Medical term; refers specifically to the open space inside a vessel or tube, not used much in general engineering.)
Antonyms
wall thickness (Not a direct opposite in meaning, but a contrasting measurement that describes the solid part of the tube rather than the hollow interior.)
Themes
engineering
|science
|medicine
|health
Definition
How wide it is inside a tube, pipe, or blood vessel, measured across from side to side.
The internal diameter of a tube, pipe, blood vessel, or other hollow structure, especially in technical, medical, or engineering contexts.
Grammar
Dictionary form
calibre
IPA
GB/kˈælˈɪbɹ/
US/kˈælˈɪbɹ/
Syllables & stress
cal - ibre (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cal)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: calibre
- Plural: calibre, calibres
Word family
Forms
calibres
noun
Core family
calibrate
verb C1
calibration
noun B2
Related words
caliber
noun
Advanced or less common
calibrator
noun
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.