Standard Lemma guide

guesstimate

noun · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: /ˈɡɛs.tə.mət/
  • US: [ˈɡɛs.tɪ̈.mɪ̈ʔ(t̚)]
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˈɡɛs.təˌmeɪt/
  • US: [ˈɡɛs.tɪ̈ˌmeɪ̯ʔ(t̚)]
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: G EH1 S T IH0 M IH0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: G EH1 S T IH0 M EY0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An estimate that is hardly any better than a guess, often because it is based on insufficient or unreliable data.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Examples

  • Near-synonym: educated guess
  • I'm not sure how many people were at the festival. My best guesstimate is 50,000.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: educated guess

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To make a guesstimate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To make a guesstimate of a specific quantity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

an estimate that combines reasoning with guessing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: guestimate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: estimate, estimation, approximation, idea

5

verb

Meaning 5

estimate based on a calculation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: estimate, gauge, approximate, guess, judge

History

Etymology

Blend of guess + estimate.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 粗略估計 /粗略估计 (cūlüè gūjì) — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • Finnish: arvaus — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • Finnish: karkea arvaus — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • French: au doigt mouillé — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • French: au pif — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • French: à vue de nez — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • Polish: wstępna kalkulacja — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • Polish: wstępne oszacowanie — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • Portuguese: olhómetro — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • Portuguese: olhômetro — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • Spanish: conjetura — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • Spanish: guestimación — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • Spanish: tanteo — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • Spanish: chute — estimate based on insufficient or unreliable data
  • Polish: wstępnie szacować — to make a guesstimate
  • Polish: wstępnie oszacować — to make a guesstimate
  • Polish: wstępnie szacować — to make a guesstimate of a specific quantity
  • Polish: wstępnie oszacować — to make a guesstimate of a specific quantity