exactness

nounC1Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #15,030 of 15,258Too rare in one of the two pools to compare — fewer than 20 uses in speech or in writing

Exactness is complete precision with no error. The exactness of the measurement.

It is not always a virtue, since exactness beyond what a measurement can support is false confidence. Exactness in language matters most where the reader cannot ask a question.

Definitions of exactness

1nounexactnessComplete precision with no error.C1
“The exactness of his memory for dates was unnerving.”

exactness is a quality.

Where it comes from

Proto-Indo-European
*h₂eǵ-
Middle English
exact
Latin
exāctus
English
exact
English, today
exactness

Built from

exigō · Latin — demand, claim as due; measure by a standard, weigh, test
ex · Latin — out
agō · Latin — drive

From exact + -ness. exact comes from Latin exāctus (the verb via Middle English exact), perfect passive participle of exigō (“demand, claim as due; measure by a standard, weigh, test”), from ex (“out”) + agō (“drive”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

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