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The fact that the star closest in proximity to our sun (approximately 4.2 light-years distant) is named Proxima Centauri is no coincidence. The history of proximity hinges on the idea of closeness, both physical and metaphorical. English speakers borrowed the word from Middle French, which in turn acquired it from forms of the Latin adjective proximus, meaning "nearest" or "next." Close relatives of proximity in English include proximal, proximate, and the somewhat more rare approximal (meaning "contiguous"). A number of other languages, including Catalan, Portuguese, and Italian, have similar words that come from the Latin proximus.
Examples of proximity in a Sentence
Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
The hotel’s tiny elevators, hilariously unequipped for modern Cannes realities like couture gowns and glam teams, routinely force strangers into uncomfortable proximity.
—Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
Reykjanes also offers practical advantages, not least its proximity to Keflavik Airport and Reykjavik.
—David Nikel, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
With the two global superpowers in proximity to the strait, the question is whether a Hormuz-style showdown could one day happen here too.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for proximity
Cite this Entry
“Proximity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proximity. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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