[ˈprɒksɪmɪt]

Definitions

1. adjective

nearest or next in order or degree; close or immediate.

“The proximate cause of the accident was a loose screw.”

2. noun

a cause or condition that is the nearest or most direct factor in producing a particular result or situation.

“The proximate of the environmental disaster was pollution.”

3. noun

the first or most immediate stage of a process or a particular state.

“The proximate of the company’s financial problems was a series of bad investments.”