magnitude

Definition

The absolute or relative size, extent or importance of something.

Etymology

From Latin magnitūdō (“greatness, size”), magnus + -tūdō.

Example Sentences

• "And on a programme of works of this magnitude, passengers will need to be mindful of the age-old maxim of 'no gain without pain'."
• "Observations in the infrared domain allow one to penetrate the ~25-30 magnitudes of extinction present at visible wavelengths."