/'mægnɪtju:d; [US] -tu:d; `mæˇnə,tud/
n [U]
1 (fml 文) (usu large) size （通常指大的）量, 大小
*The magnitude of the epidemic was frightening. 这种流行病传播范围之广令人惊惶不安.
2 (degree of) importance 重要; 重要性; 重要程度
*You don't appreciate the magnitude of her achievement. 你没有认识到她这一成就的重大意义.
* a discovery of the first magnitude, ie a most important discovery 一项极重要的发现.
3 (astronomy 天) degree of brightness of a star 星等（表示星体亮度的等级）
*a star of the first, second, etc magnitude 一等星、二等星.

n
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin;Origin: magnitudo, from magnus 'great']
[U]
the great size or importance of something
magnitude of
　They didn't seem to appreciate the magnitude of the problem.
of such/this/similar etc magnitude
　We did not think the cuts would be of this magnitude.
　an increase of this order of magnitude (=size)
[C]technical
the degree of brightness of a star
[C]technical
the force of an earthquake