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Origin and history of accurate

accurate(adj.)

1610s, "done with care," from Latin accuratus "prepared with care, exact, elaborate," past participle of accurare "take care of," from ad "to" (see ad-) + curare "take care of" (see cure (n.1)). The notion of doing something carefully led to that of being precise (1650s). A stronger word than correct (adj.), weaker than exact (adj.). Related: Accurately; accurateness.

also from 1610s

Entries linking to accurate

cure(n.1)

c. 1300, "care, heed," from Latin cura "care, concern, trouble," with many figurative extensions over time such as "study; administration; office of a parish priest; a mistress," and also "means of healing, successful remedial treatment of a disease" (late 14c.), from Old Latin coira-, a noun of unknown origin. Meaning "medical care" is late 14c.

accuracy(n.)

"state of being extremely precise or exact; conformity to truth," 1660s, from accurate + abstract noun suffix -cy.

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More to explore

exact
"precise, rigorous, accurate," 1530s, from Latin exactus "precise, accurate, highly finished," past-participle adjective from exigere "demand, require, enforce," literally "to drive or force out," also "to finish, measure," from ex "out" (see ex-) + agere "to set in motion, drive
precise
mid-15c., "neither more nor less than, with no error; exactly stated or marked off; definitely or strictly expressed; distinguished with precision from all others," from Old French précis "condensed, cut short" (14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin precisus, from Latin praecisu
rigorous
The meaning "scrupulously accurate, precise" is from 1650s. Related: Rigorously; rigorousness (c. 1400)....
vouch
Meaning "guarantee to be true or accurate" is first attested 1590s. Related: Vouched; vouching....
faithful
From late 14c. in reference to a tale, a report, etc., "accurate, reliable, true to the facts."...
rifle
The spirals impart rotation to the projectile, making its flight more accurate....
rip
For this, precisians prefer the more accurate rip current, introduced for the purpose in 1936, but rip tide remains the popular...
curare
formerly also curari, curara, resinous plant substance used by South American natives for poisoning their arrows, later used medicinally as a muscle relaxant, 1777, from Portuguese or Spanish curare, a corruption of the name in the Carib language of the Macusi Indians of Guyana,
correct
mid-14c., "to set (someone) right by punishing for a fault or error, to discipline;" late 14c., of texts, "to bring into accordance with a standard or original," from Latin correctus, past participle of corrigere "to put straight, attempt to make (a crooked thing) straight, reduc
decorum
1560s, "that which is proper or fitting in a literary or artistic composition;" 1580s, "propriety of speech, behavior, or dress; formal politeness," from Latin decorum "that which is seemly," noun use of neuter of adjective decorus "fit, proper," from decor "beauty, elegance, cha

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