Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

order-of-magnitude

noun

/ˈɔːrdər əv ˈmæɡnɪtjuːd/

Definition

A measure of the scale or size of something, often used to describe the approximate value or range of a quantity in relation to a base value, usually in powers of ten.

Examples

The population of the city increased by an order of magnitude in the last decade.
This problem is several orders of magnitude more complex than we originally anticipated.
The energy released by the explosion was estimated to be an order of magnitude greater than that of a conventional bomb.

Meaning

Order of magnitude refers to the scale of a quantity by categorizing it into powers of ten, allowing for a comparison in sizes or values, typically highlighting the difference in size or impact between various measurements.