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Roughly vs Approximate - What's the difference?

roughly | approximate |

As an adverb roughly

is in a rough manner.

As an adjective approximate is

approaching; proximate; nearly resembling.

As a verb approximate is

to carry or advance near; to cause to approach.

roughly

English

Adverb

(en-adv)
  • In a rough manner.
  • Unevenly; harshly; rudely; severely; austerely.
  • Imprecise but close to in quantity or amount; approximately.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-12-06, author= Alok Jha
    • , volume=189, issue=26, page=27, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= A deadly disease could travel at jet speed around the world. How do we stop it in time? , passage=Of the roughly 400 emerging infectious diseases that have been identified since 1940, more than 60% are zoonotic: ie they came from animals. Throughout history this has been common.}}

    Synonyms

    * approximately, around, near, nearly, almost, about, loosely, circa

    approximate

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Approaching; proximate; nearly resembling.
  • Near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate.
    • Approximate results or values.
    To help carry out its mission, NASA's Genesis spacecraft has on board an ion monitor to record the speed, density, temperature and approximate composition of the solar wind ions.

    Antonyms

    * exact, precise

    Derived terms

    () * approximately * approximation * approximative

    Verb

    (approximat)
  • To carry or advance near; to cause to approach.
    • To approximate the inequality of riches to the level of nature. --Burke.
  • To come near to; to approach.
    • The telescope approximates perfection. --J. Morse.
  • To estimate.

    • Quotations

    When you follow two separate chains of thought, Watson, you will find some point of intersection which should approximate to the truth.
    — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax