How finely a value is stated. Distinct from accuracy — a precise number can be precisely wrong.
Latin praecisio (a cutting off short), from praecidere (to cut off in front), from prae- (before) + caedere (to cut); a value stated exactly, cut cleanly rather than left rough — and distinct from accuracy, since a precise cut can still miss its mark.
How finely a value is stated, which is not the same as accuracy — a precise number can still be precisely wrong.