calibre
“calibre” means “caliber” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
caliber, gauge
Also: bore
📝 In Action
La policía encontró balas de calibre nueve milímetros.
B1The police found nine-millimeter caliber bullets.
Necesitamos un cable de calibre más grueso para esta instalación eléctrica.
B2We need a thicker gauge wire for this electrical installation.
quality, stature
Also: magnitude, level
📝 In Action
Necesitamos contratar a un profesional de alto calibre para liderar el equipo.
B2We need to hire a professional of high caliber (high quality) to lead the team.
La crisis fue de un calibre que nadie había anticipado.
C1The crisis was of a magnitude that no one had anticipated.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: calibre
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'calibre' to describe quality rather than a physical measurement?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Arabic word *qālib*, meaning 'shoemaker's last' or 'mold.' It traveled into European languages through Italian (*calibro*) and French, retaining the core idea of a fixed size or standard measurement.
First recorded: Mid-16th century in Spanish
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
¿Es 'calibre' una palabra femenina o masculina?
Es una palabra masculina. Siempre decimos 'el calibre' o 'un calibre'.
How did 'calibre' go from meaning 'size' to meaning 'quality'?
The shift happened because a standard, precise measurement ('calibre') became associated with a high standard of quality or importance. If something is 'de alto calibre,' it meets a high standard, just like a precisely measured tool.