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proximity

UK/pɹɒkˈsɪm.ɪ.ti/US/pɹɑkˈsɪm.ɪ.ti/
nounB2+Common in everyday speech and writing · #6,560 of 15,258leans written

Proximity is nearness in space or time. In close proximity, the proximity of the station, proximity to the sea.

In close proximity to is a wordy way of saying near, and careful writers cut it. The word does real work in technical use, where a proximity sensor detects something without touching it and a proximity fuse sets off a shell near its target.

Definitions of proximity

  1. 1nounproximityNearness in space or time.B2+

    “The hotel's main attraction is its proximity to the beach.”

proximity is a nearness.

Where it comes from

Latin proximitas comes from proximus, nearest, the superlative of prope, near. Approach is a relative.

  1. Proto-Indo-European

    *-kʷe

  2. Latin

    proximitas

  3. Middle French

    proximité

  4. English, today

    proximity

From proxim(ate) + ity, from Middle French proximité, from Latin proximitas, from proximus.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practise this word

proximity in the wild

  • The Aten asteroids are a dynamical group of asteroids whose orbits bring them into proximity with Earth.

    Aten asteroid

  • More advanced systems, introduced in 1996, are known as enhanced ground proximity warning systems (EGPWS), a modern type of TAWS.

    Ground proximity warning system

  • A proximity sensor (often simply prox) is a sensor able to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact.

    Proximity sensor

  • The object being sensed is often referred to as the proximity sensor's target.

    Proximity sensor

  • A magnetic proximity fuse was patented by P.J.

    Magnetic proximity fuze

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.