imprecise

Imprecise is an adjective used to describe things that lack exactness, clarity, or specificity. It derives from Latin precīsus meaning exact, with the prefix in- negating the sense of precision. In general usage, imprecise language or measurements are not sharply defined and may allow multiple interpretations.

In everyday language, an imprecise description may give a rough sense of scale or quantity rather than a fixed value. For example, saying that a meeting will begin “in the morning” or that a distance is “about ten meters” is imprecise. Imprecision can result from limits of measurement, from incomplete information, or from deliberate vagueness for diplomacy or rhetoric.

In science and engineering, imprecision is a source of uncertainty alongside bias. A measurement is imprecise if repeated trials yield varying results, even when the true value is constant. Researchers quantify this uncertainty with statistics such as standard deviation or confidence intervals and strive to reduce it through better instruments or methods.

Imprecise probability is a related concept in statistics and decision theory that represents uncertainty with ranges or sets of probabilities rather than a single number. The term imprecise also contrasts with precise, accuracy, and certainty, which denote higher levels of definitional or numerical exactness.