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DictionaryproximateNearness
adjective

proximate

PRAHK-sih-muht/ˈprɑːksɪmət/

Immediately near in a sequence or setting.

The proximate stepping stone sits right beside the traveler's foot.

The nearest stepping stone sits immediately beside a traveler's foot.
Etymology
proximLatinnearest, next
+ateLatinpast-participle ending

The Latin word for 'nearest' produced a verb meaning 'draw near.' Its participle underlies the adjective for an immediate neighbor or next link, including one in a chain of causes.

In context

Stronger Marriage8:33
marriage prep should not only just be immediately before the marriage, but proximate and remote. So what I'm doing talking to 14 year old kids. It's marriage preparation
Chastity Before and Inside Marriage | Jason Evert | 116

More examples

  • Investigators identify faulty wiring as the proximate cause of the fire.
  • The clinic is proximate to several apartment buildings.
  • The two events are proximate in time.

Forms

proximate

proximity noun — Nearness in space, time, or relationship.

Similar words

immediate
Emphasizes that nothing intervenes in time, position, or cause.
adjacent
Means directly beside something, often with a shared boundary.
nearby
Usually describes physical closeness, without suggesting a direct cause.