calibre

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

a degree or grade of excellence or worth“the quality of students has risen”“an executive of low caliber”Synonyms: quality caliber
diameter of a tube or gun barrelSynonyms: bore gauge caliber

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Caliber \Cal"i*ber\, Calibre \Cal"ibre\, n. [F. calibre, perh. fr. L. qualibra of what pound, of what weight; hence, of what size, applied first to a ball or bullet; cf. also Ar. q[=a]lib model, mold. Cf. Calipers, Calivere.] [1913 Webster]

1.(Gunnery) The diameter of the bore, as a cannon or other firearm, or of any tube; or the weight or size of the projectile which a firearm will carry; as, an 8 inch gun, a 12-pounder, a 44 caliber. [1913 Webster]

The caliber of empty tubes.— Reid.[1913 Webster]

A battery composed of three guns of small caliber.— Prescott.[1913 Webster]

Note: The caliber of firearms is expressed in various ways. Cannon are often designated by the weight of a solid spherical shot that will fit the bore; as, a 12-pounder; pieces of ordnance that project shell or hollow shot are designated by the diameter of their bore; as, a 12 inch mortar or a 14 inch shell gun; small arms are designated by hundredths of an inch expressed decimally; as, a rifle of .44 inch caliber. [1913 Webster]

2.The diameter of round or cylindrical body, as of a bullet or column. [1913 Webster]

3.Fig.: Capacity or compass of mind. --Burke. [1913 Webster]

Caliber compasses. See Calipers.

Caliber rule, a gunner's calipers, an instrument having two scales arranged to determine a ball's weight from its diameter, and conversely.

A ship's caliber, the weight of her armament. [1913 Webster]