altitude

[ al-ti-tood, -tyood ]
/ ˈæl tɪˌtud, -ˌtyud /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR altitude ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the height of anything above a given planetary reference plane, especially above sea level on earth.
extent or distance upward; height.
Astronomy. the angular distance of a heavenly body above the horizon.
Geometry.
  1. the perpendicular distance from the vertex of a figure to the side opposite the vertex.
  2. the line through the vertex of a figure perpendicular to the base.
Usually altitudes. a high place or region: mountain altitudes.
high or important position, rank, etc.

Origin of altitude

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin altitūdō; see alti-, -tude

SYNONYMS FOR altitude

1 elevation.
1, 2 See height.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR altitude ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM altitude

al·ti·tu·di·nous [al-ti-tood-n-uhs, -tyood-] /ˌæl tɪˈtud n əs, -ˈtyud-/, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH altitude

altitude elevation height (see synonym study at height) altitude attitude

Words nearby altitude

altiloquent, altimeter, altimetry, altiplano, altissimo, altitude, altitude chamber, altitude dial, altitude sickness, altitudinal, altitudinal hemianopsia

Words related to altitudinous

great, lanky, big, rangy, soaring, towering, huge, tremendous, long, large, immense, steep, lofty, giant, elevated, beanstalk, flying, aerial, grand, alpine

Example sentences from the Web for altitudinous

  • Kipps, I say, felt himself a creature of outer darkness, an inexcusable intruder in an altitudinous world.

    Kipps |H. G. Wells

British Dictionary definitions for altitudinous

altitude
/ (ˈæltɪˌtjuːd) /

noun

the vertical height of an object above some chosen level, esp above sea level; elevation
geometry the perpendicular distance from the vertex to the base of a geometrical figure or solid
Also called: elevation astronomy nautical the angular distance of a celestial body from the horizon measured along the vertical circle passing through the body Compare azimuth (def. 1)
surveying the angle of elevation of a point above the horizontal plane of the observer
(often plural) a high place or region

Derived forms of altitude

altitudinal, adjective

Word Origin for altitude

C14: from Latin altitūdō, from altus high, deep

Scientific definitions for altitudinous

altitude
[ ăl′tĭ-tōōd′ ]

The height of an object or structure above a reference level, usually above sea level or the Earth's surface.
Astronomy The position of a celestial object above an observer's horizon, measured in degrees along a line between the horizon (0°) and the zenith (90°). Unlike declination and celestial latitude-the corresponding points in other celestial coordinate systems-the altitude of star or other celestial object is dependent on an observer's geographic location and changes steadily as the sky passes overhead due to the rotation of the Earth. See more at altazimuth coordinate system.
Mathematics The perpendicular distance from the base of a geometric figure, such as a triangle, to the opposite vertex, side, or surface.