Schätzungsweise

Schätzungsweise is a German adverb meaning approximately or by estimation. It signals that a figure, quantity, time, or result is not known exactly but is based on rough calculation or an informed guess. The term derives from Schätzung, estimation, with the suffix -weise forming an adverb that means “in a manner of estimation.”

In practice, schätzungsweise is commonly placed before the numerical expression. It is widely used in journalism, science, business, and everyday speech to convey uncertainty while still providing a usable figure: Schätzungsweise 1.000 Teilnehmer nahmen teil. Die Kosten belaufen sich schätzungsweise auf 2,5 Millionen Euro. The expression can also introduce a broader statement about a quantity or trend, indicating that the following figure is not exact.

Etymologically, the word combines the noun Schätzung with the adverbial suffix -weise, yielding a form that functions similarly to other German adverbs of manner such as rechtskräftigweise or bildlich gesprochen, but with a clear quantitative purpose when applied to numbers or measurements.

Usage notes and related terms: schätzungsweise is closely related to ungefähr, etwa, and zirka (circa). It differs from these in its explicit emphasis on estimation rather than a vague approximation. In formal writing, it often appears in conjunction with numerical values in reports, summaries, and provisional statements, where precise data are pending or unavailable.