James Newport and Dennis Thomas appeal their convictions stemming from their participation in a scheme to manufacture and distribute phenyl-2-propanone and methamphetamine.

We must decide whether a jury instruction which equates “reasonable doubt” with “real doubt” diminishes the government’s burden of proof in violation of due process. We conclude that giving a “real doubt” instruction to the jury does not constitute constitutional error and affirm. i

The district court gave the following instructions on reasonable doubt:

Newport and Thomas argue, without citation to any authority, that “there would appear to be a Due Process constitutional infirmity with the ‘real doubt’ instruction given by the Court.” They also contend that “[a]s defined by Webster, the term ‘real’ must mean ‘indubitable’ or ‘unquestionable.’ ” This argument ignores the fact that the same source lists other meanings for the term “real,” which preceed those 'selected by appellants, including “authentic,” “genuine,” “actual,” and “true.”

“Real” is defined in Webster’s Third International New Dictionary 1890 (1971) as “that is precisely what its name implies: not merely so called: truly possessing the essence of what it is called.” Thus, when used as an adjective in connection with, the word “doubt,” the term “real” means a doubt which is an authentic, genuine, actual and true instead of its opposite meaning i.e. “unreal, apparent, or imaginary” doubt. See antonym of “real” in Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary 962 (1975). “Real” is a qualitative and not a quantitative term. As used in the court’s instructions, it refers to the “nature” of the doubt rather than the “amount” of the doubt which must be present.

An appellate court reviewing a reasonable doubt charge' must consider the instructions in their entirety. If the charge, taken as a whole, fairly and accurately conveys the meaning of reasonable doubt, it is proper. United States v. Rhodes, 713 F.2d 463, 472 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 104 S.Ct. 535 , 78 L.Ed.2d 715 (1983); United States v. Robinson, 546 F.2d 309, 314 (9th Cir.1976), cert. denied, 430 U.S. 918 , 97 S.Ct. 1333 , 51 L.Ed.2d 597 (1977).

We are satisfied that, when considered contextually, the court’s instruction on reasonable doubt was free of constitutional error. The issue we review in this opinion is one of first impression in this circuit. The Fifth Circuit, however, has ruled on this precise question.

In United States v. Schaffer, 600 F.2d 1120 (5th Cir.1979), in considering a similar set of instructions, the Fifth Circuit held that defining reasonable doubt as “real doubt” when considered “in light of the entire jury charge,” did not lessen the government’s burden or constitute plain error. Id. at 1123 . In United States v. Alonzo, 681 F.2d 997, 1002 (5th Cir.1982), the court held that an instruction which included the “real doubt” language was a “proper” charge without discussing the precise question presented here.

Our determination that the instruction used by this court in this matter did not violate due process should not be construed as an indication that we approve of the language used or that it contains the most appropriate formulation of the reasonable doubt standard. In Taylor v. Kentucky, 436 U.S. 478, 488 , 98 S.Ct. 1930, 1936 , 56 L.Ed.2d 468 (1978), the Court commented that a definition of reasonable doubt as “a substantial doubt, a real doubt” while “perhaps not in itself reversible error often has been criticized as confusing.” See, e.g., United States v. Muckenstrum, 515 F.2d 568, 571 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 423 U.S. 1032 , 96 S.Ct. 564 , 46 L.Ed.2d 406 (1975); United States v. Christy, 444 F.2d 448, 450 (6th Cir.), cert. denied, 404. U.S. 949, 92 S.Ct. 293 , 30 L.Ed.2d 266 (1971). Id. at 488.

The challenged instruction was free of constitutional error. The judgment is AFFIRMED.