noun
Uncommon
latitude
LA-tiht-yood
Latitude (noun) means the angular distance of a place north or south of the equator. Example: “The ship's latitude and longitude were logged every hour.”
noun
1
The angular distance of a place north or south of the equator.
"The ship's latitude and longitude were logged every hour."
"Far from the center of Shang civilization, Wu-ch'eng is located well south of the Yangtze at approximately the same latitude as Ch'ang-sha in the west and Wen-chou in the east."
— Ralph D. Sawyer, Ancient Chinese Warfare (2011)
"Cities at a high latitude have very long days in summer."
"Sailors once worked out their latitude by measuring the height of the sun."
2
Freedom to act or decide as one chooses; scope.
"His parents gave him a great deal of latitude."
"The manager gave her a lot of latitude in how she ran the project."
"Teachers need some latitude to adapt lessons to the needs of their class."
"The judge allowed the lawyers considerable latitude when questioning the witness."
How to use latitude
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a geographic measurement of position, or the freedom to make your own choices.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
degrees of latitude
give someone latitude
considerable latitude
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Word forms
- Plural
- latitudes
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The ship's _____ and longitude were logged every hour.
Etymology
From Latin lātitūdō ("breadth, width"), from lātus ("broad, wide").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for latitude
See all rhymes for latitude →Frequently asked questions
What does “latitude” mean?
The word “latitude” means the angular distance of a place north or south of the equator. In plain terms, either a geographic measurement of position, or the freedom to make your own choices.
How do you pronounce “latitude”?
“Latitude” is pronounced LA-tiht-yood (/ˈlætɪtud/ in IPA).
How do you use “latitude” in a sentence?
Here is “latitude” used in a sentence: “The ship's latitude and longitude were logged every hour.”
What part of speech is “latitude”?
“Latitude” is a noun.
Where does the word “latitude” come from?
The word “latitude” comes from Latin. From Latin lātitūdō ("breadth, width"), from lātus ("broad, wide").
Is “latitude” a common word?
“Latitude” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “latitude” have?
“Latitude” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the angular distance of a place north or south of the equator.
What is the difference between latitude and longitude?
Latitude measures the angular distance of a place north or south of the equator, while longitude measures distance east or west of the prime meridian. Together, the two form a coordinate system used to pinpoint any location on Earth.
What does it mean to "give someone latitude"?
To give someone latitude means to allow them freedom to act or decide as they choose, granting them scope to make their own choices rather than follow a strict, prescribed path.
Is "latitude" used only in geography?
No, latitude also has a figurative meaning referring to freedom or scope to act or decide as one chooses, which is common in everyday and formal usage well beyond geography.
Is latitude a formal word?
The figurative sense of latitude, meaning freedom or scope, is commonly used in fairly formal contexts, such as describing the discretion given to an employee or official.
