length

The word “length” means the measurement of something from one end to the other, along its longest side. In plain terms, how long something is, whether that's physical distance, time, or a cut piece of material.

“Length” is pronounced lehngth (/lɛŋ(k)θ/ in IPA).

Here is “length” used in a sentence: “The length of the swimming pool is fifty metres.”

Words with a similar meaning to “length” include lengthiness, longitude and longness.

The opposite of “length” — its antonyms — is width.

“Length” is a noun.

The word “length” comes from Old English. From Old English lengþu, built from "long" plus a suffix used to form abstract nouns — the same pattern that turns "strong" into "strength.".

“Length” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

Length is the measurement of something along its longest side, from one end to the other. Width, sometimes called breadth, is the measurement across the shorter side. In simple terms, length tells you how long something is, while width tells you how wide it is across.

Length is usually the longest horizontal measurement, taken end to end. Height is the vertical measurement, from bottom to top. For an object lying flat you tend to speak of its length, but once the same object stands upright, that dimension is often described instead as its height.

In the metric system, length is measured in millimetres, centimetres, metres, and kilometres. The imperial system uses inches, feet, yards, and miles. Which unit you choose depends on scale, from millimetres for tiny objects to metres for rooms and kilometres or miles for long distances.

You measure length by lining up a ruler, tape measure, or similar tool with the object's longest side, reading from one end to the other. For very long or awkward distances, people use measuring wheels, laser distance meters, or GPS-based tools to get an accurate figure quickly.