Approximate
late Middle English (in the adjectival sense ‘close, similar’): from late Latin approximatus, past participle of approximare, from ad- ‘to’ + proximus ‘very near’. The verb (originally meaning ‘bring close’) arose in the mid 17th century; the current adjectival sense dates from the early 19th century.
wiktionary
From Latin approximatus, past participle of approximare(“to approach”); ad + proximare(“to come near”). See proximate.
etymonline
approximate (adj.)
"near in position, close to," 1640s, from Late Latin approximatus, past participle of approximare "to come near to," from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + proximare "come near," from proximus "nearest," superlative of prope "near" (see propinquity). Meaning "near in accuracy or correctness" is by 1816. Also used in Middle English in a sense "similar" (early 15c.).
approximate (v.)
early 15c., "to bring or put close," from Late Latin approximatus, past participle of approximare "to come near to," from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + proximare "come near," from proximus "nearest," superlative of prope "near" (see propinquity). Intransitive meaning "to come close" is from 1789. Related: Approximated; approximating.
