high

The word “high” means extending a long way upward; tall or elevated. In plain terms, far up, or far above the normal amount, level, or standard — used for height, price, status, sound pitch, and mood.

“High” is pronounced heye (/haɪ/ in IPA).

Here is “high” used in a sentence: “They built a high fence around the garden.”

Words with a similar meaning to “high” include haute, hawt, tall and drunk.

The opposite of “high” — its antonyms — is low.

Depending on how it is used, “high” can be an adjective and an adverb.

The word “high” comes from Old English. From Old English hēah, going back through Proto-Germanic to a very old root meaning "to bend" — the same distant root that gave the name Caucasus (mountains that "bend upward").

“High” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

'High' describes literal height or position — 'a high wall,' 'the plane flew high.' 'Highly' means to a great degree and is used figuratively — 'highly respected,' 'highly unlikely.' You would not say 'highly wall.' In short, 'high' measures physical elevation, while 'highly' intensifies qualities or opinions.

'Tall' describes something greater than average from top to bottom, usually people or narrow objects — 'a tall man,' 'a tall tree.' 'High' describes distance above the ground or general elevation — 'a high shelf,' 'high mountains.' A person is tall, not high; a ceiling is high, not tall.

The opposite is 'low,' meaning close to the ground or not far up. A high shelf becomes a low shelf; high ground becomes low ground. In the figurative sense of amount, 'high' prices are the opposite of 'low' prices. The pairing works for both literal height and measured levels.