CALIBER

quality, caliber, calibre

(noun) a degree or grade of excellence or worth; “the quality of students has risen”; “an executive of low caliber”

bore, gauge, caliber, calibre

(noun) diameter of a tube or gun barrel

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Noun

caliber (countable and uncountable, plural calibers)

(American spelling) Alternative form of calibre

Anagrams

• calibre

Source: Wiktionary

Cal"i*ber, Cal"ibre, n. Etym: [F. calibre, perh. fr. L. qualibra of what pound, of what weight; hence, of what size, applied first to a ball or bullet; cf. also Ar. qalib model, mold. Cf. Calipers, Calivere.]

1. (Gunnery)

Definition: The diameter of the bore, as a cannon or other firearm, or of any tube; or the weight or size of the projectile which a firearm will carry; as, an 8 inch gun, a 12-pounder, a 44 caliber. The caliber of empty tubes. Reid. A battery composed of three guns of small caliber. Prescott.

Note: The caliber of firearms is expressed in various ways. Cannon are often designated by the weight of a solid spherical shot that will fit the bore; as, a 12-pounder; pieces of ordnance that project shell or hollow shot are designated by the diameter of their bore; as, a 12 inch mortar or a 14 inch shell gun; small arms are designated by hundredths of an inch expressed decimally; as, a rifle of .44 inch caliber.

2. The diameter of round or cylindrical body, as of a bullet or column.

3. Fig.: Capacity or compass of mind. Burke. Caliber compasses. See Calipers.

– Caliber rule, a gunner's calipers, an instrument having two scales arranged to determine a ball's weight from its diameter, and conversely.

– A ship's caliber, the weight of her armament.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition