What is the difference between magnitude and size?

magnitude | size |

Size is a synonym of magnitude.

As nouns the difference between magnitude and size

is that magnitude is the absolute or relative size, extent or importance of something while size is an assize.

As a verb size is

to adjust the size of; to make a certain size.

magnitude

English

Noun

(uncountable, countable) The absolute or relative size, extent or importance of something.

(countable) An order of magnitude.

(mathematics) A number, assigned to something, such that it may be compared to others numerically

(mathematics) Of a vector, the norm, most commonly, the two-norm.

(astronomy) The apparent brightness of a star (on a negative, logarithmic scale); apparent magnitude

(seismology) A measure of the energy released by an earthquake (e.g. on the Richter scale).

Derived terms

* order of magnitude * absolute magnitude * apparent magnitude

size

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) ).

Noun

(en noun)

(obsolete, outside, dialects) An assize.

* 1749 , Henry Fielding, Tom Jones , Folio Society 1973, page 560:

I know you would have women above the law, but it is all a lye; I heard his lordship say at size , that no one is above the law.

(obsolete) A regulation determining the amount of money paid in fees, taxes etc.

(obsolete) A fixed standard for the magnitude, quality, quantity etc. of goods, especially food and drink.

* Shakespeare

to scant my sizes

The dimensions or magnitude of a thing; how big something is.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= Welcome to the plastisphere , passage=[The researchers] noticed many of their pieces of [plastic marine] debris sported surface pits around two microns across. Such pits are about the size of a bacterial cell. Closer examination showed that some of these pits did, indeed, contain bacteria, […].}}

(obsolete) A regulation, piece of ordinance.

A specific set of dimensions for a manufactured article, especially clothing.

(graph theory) A number of edges in a graph.

(figurative, dated) Degree of rank, ability, character, etc.

* L'Estrange

men of a less size and quality

* Jonathan Swift

the middling or lower size of people

An instrument consisting of a number of perforated gauges fastened together at one end by a rivet, used for measuring the size of pearls.

(Knight)

Synonyms

* See also

Verb

(siz)

To adjust the size of; to make a certain size.

* Francis Bacon

a statute to size weights, and measures

To classify or arrange by size.

# (military) To take the height of men, in order to place them in the ranks according to their stature.

# (mining) To sift (pieces of ore or metal) in order to separate the finer from the coarser parts.

(colloquial) To approximate the dimensions, estimate the size of.

To take a greater size; to increase in size.

* John Donne

Our desires give them fashion, and so, / As they wax lesser, fall, as they size , grow.

(UK, Cambridge University, obsolete) To order food or drink from the buttery; hence, to enter a score, as upon the buttery book.

(obsolete) To swell; to increase the bulk of.

(Beaumont and Fletcher)

Etymology 2

Old Italian , a glue used by painters, shortened from (assisa), from (assiso), to make to sit, to seat, to place.

Noun

(en noun)

A thin, weak glue used as primer for paper or canvas intended to be painted upon.

Wallpaper paste.

The thickened crust on coagulated blood.

Any viscous substance, such as gilder's varnish.

Verb

(siz)

To apply glue or other primer to a surface which is to be painted.