As a verb, to make a rough guess or judgment about the size, amount, or value of something. As a noun, it is that rough calculation or opinion.
From Latin *aestimare* 'to value, appraise', via Old French *estimer*. It is closely related to words like 'esteem'.
An estimate is a smart guess, not a random one—it uses what you know to narrow down what you don’t. Whole fields like engineering and budgeting run on estimates rather than exact numbers at first. Learning to give honest ranges instead of fake precision is a surprisingly advanced skill.
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