magnitude

/ˈmæɡnɪtuːd/
noun
  1. The great size, importance, or extent of something.
    • She was shocked by the magnitude of the crowd that had gathered to hear her speak.
    • The magnitude of the earthquake was measured at 7.2 on the Richter scale.
    • The team did not fully understand the magnitude of the problem until they saw the data.
  2. The brightness of a star or other celestial object as seen from Earth.
    • The star Sirius has a magnitude of -1.46, making it one of the brightest in the night sky.
    • A telescope can help you see stars of a much fainter magnitude than the naked eye can.
    • Astronomers use a scale of magnitude to compare how bright different stars appear.
  3. The numerical size or amount of something, especially in mathematics or science.
    • The magnitude of the vector is calculated using the Pythagorean theorem.
    • In physics, the magnitude of a force is measured in newtons.
    • The earthquake's magnitude was recorded as a number on a logarithmic scale.
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