noun
magnitude
MAG-niht-yood
noun
1
The size, scale, or importance of something.
"Officials are only now grasping the magnitude of the disaster."
"A project of this magnitude will take years to finish."
2
A number on a scale used to measure how strong an earthquake is.
"The quake registered a magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter scale."
3
(astronomy) A number on a scale used to measure how bright a star or other object appears.
"The star has an apparent magnitude of about 1.4, making it easy to spot."
How to Use Magnitude
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHow big, strong, or significant something is — often used for disasters, problems, earthquakes, and star brightness.
Common pairings
order of magnitude
the magnitude of the problem
earthquake magnitude
Word Forms
magnitudes plural
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Officials are only now grasping the _____ of the disaster.
Etymology
From Latin magnitudo, "greatness", built from magnus, "great".