Dictionary

altitude en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈælt.ɪˌtjuːd/
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈælt.ɪˌtuːd/ yod-dropping
• /ˈælt.ɪˌt͡ʃuːd/ yod-coalescence

Etymology

From Middle English, borrowed from Latin altitūdō (“height”), from altus (“high”).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The absolute height of a location, usually measured from sea level.
   • The technique would involve spraying large amounts of sulfate particles into the Earth’s lower stratosphere at altitudes as high as 12 miles. The scientists propose delivering the sulfates with specially designed high-altitude aircraft, balloons or large naval-style guns. 2018 November 23, Matthew Robinson, “Dimming the sun: The answer to global warming?”, in CNN:
   • As the altitude increases, the temperature gets lower, so remember to bring warm clothes to the mountains.
   • Like most human activities, ballooning has sponsored heroes and hucksters and a good deal in between. For every dedicated scientist patiently recording atmospheric pressure and wind speed while shivering at high altitudes, there is a carnival barker with a bevy of pretty girls willing to dangle from a basket or parachute down to earth. 2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36:
   • By changing the flying altitude by just couple of thousand feet on fewer than 2% of all scheduled flights, a study by a team of scientists at Imperial College London concludes that the damage to the climate caused by one consequence of aviation could be reduced by as much as 59%. 2020 February 16, Francesca Street, “How changing aircraft altitude could cut flight’s climate impact”, in CNN:
2. (countable, uncountable) A vertical distance.
3. (countable, uncountable) The line perpendicularly connecting a figure’s vertex, especially a triangle’s apex, to the side opposite to the vertex.
   • All three altitudes of any triangle will always meet at point known as the orthocentre or orthocenter.
4. (countable, uncountable) The length of such a line; the distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the side opposite to the vertex.
   • The perpendicular height of a triangle is known as its altitude.
5. (countable, uncountable) The angular distance of a heavenly body above our Earth's horizon.
6. (countable, uncountable) Height of rank or excellence; superiority.
   • Whoever has an ambition to be heard in a crowd, must press, and squeeze, and thrust, and climb, with indefatigable pains, till he has exalted himself to a certain degree of altitude above them. 1704, [Jonathan Swift], A Tale of a Tub. […], London: […] John Nutt, […], →OCLC:
7. (countable, dated, in-plural, uncountable) Elevation of spirits; heroics; haughty airs.
   • The man of law began to get into his altitudes. 1815 February 24, [Walter Scott], Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and Archibald Constable and Co., […], →OCLC:
   • Is this deified passion , in its greatest altitudes , fitted to stand the day ? 1748, [Samuel Richardson], Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC:
8. (countable, uncountable) Highest point or degree.
   • He is [proud] even to the altitude of his virtue. c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
9. (countable, dated, of a ring, qualifier:commutative algebra, uncountable) Krull dimension.
10. (countable, of an ideal, qualifier:commutative algebra, uncountable) Height.

Forms

Deriveds

altimetry · medium-altitude · altitudinal · bialtitude · absolute altitude · midaltitude · high-altitude · paleoaltitude · at altitude · minimum descent altitude · maltitude · critical altitude · altitudinarian · transition altitude · pressure altitude · low-altitude · minimum sector altitude · altitude sickness · altazimuth · coaltitude · altitude-sick · altitudinous

Translations (108)

fa بلندا (distance measured upwards) · eo alteco (distance measured upwards) · ru у́гол возвыше́ния (distance measured angularly of a heavenly body) · fr altitude (absolute height) · eo alto (absolute height) · ga airde (distance measured angularly of a heavenly body) · tl tayog (absolute height) · eo alteco (absolute height) · fi korkeus (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · bg височина́ (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · cs výška (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · fr altitude (distance measured angularly of a heavenly body) · tr yükseklik (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · de Höhe (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · tr yükseklik (distance measured upwards) · ru высота́ (absolute height) · tr irtifa (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · ga airde (absolute height) · ja 高さ (distance measured upwards) · it altezza (distance measured angularly of a heavenly body) · ja 高度 (absolute height) · pl wysokość bezwzględna (absolute height) · ru высота́ (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · ca alçada (absolute height) · tl layog (absolute height) · eo alteco (distance measured angularly of a heavenly body) · fr hauteur (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · ru высота́ (distance measured upwards) · sv altitud (absolute height) · sv altitud (distance measured upwards) · ar اِرْتِفَاع (absolute height) · cmn 海拔 (absolute height) · de Höhe (distance measured upwards) · tr yükseklik (absolute height) · cs nadmořská výška (absolute height) · bg надмо́рска височина́ (absolute height) · ro înălțime (distance measured upwards) · nl hoogte (absolute height) · pt altitude (absolute height) · es altitud (absolute height) · hu magasság (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · ga airde (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · hu magasság (distance measured angularly of a heavenly body) · fi korkeus (distance measured upwards) · pt altitude (distance measured upwards) · es altura (distance measured upwards) · ru высота́ над у́ровнем мо́ря (absolute height) · fi korkeuskulma (distance measured angularly of a heavenly body) · tl tayog (distance measured upwards) · pt altitude (distance measured angularly of a heavenly body) · tr yükselti (absolute height) · vec altézsa (absolute height) · mn өндөр (distance measured upwards) · ota یوكسكلك (distance measured angularly of a heavenly body) · fi korkeus (distance measured angularly of a heavenly body) · tl tayog (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · cmn 高度 (distance measured upwards) · de Höhe (absolute height) · ru возвы́шенность (distance measured upwards) · ota یوكسكلك (distance measured upwards) · vec altézsa (distance measured upwards) · mn өндөр (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · fi korkeus (absolute height) · nl hoogte (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · az yüksəklik (absolute height) · el υψόμετρο (absolute height) · ro înălțime (absolute height) · it altezza (distance measured upwards) · vec altézsa (distance measured angularly of a heavenly body) · ota یوكسكلك (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · cs výška (distance measured upwards) · it altitudine (absolute height) · ko 해발 (absolute height) · ro altitudine (absolute height) · az yüksəklik (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · sw kimo (absolute height) · el ύψος (distance measured upwards) · ota یوكسكلك (absolute height) · tr irtifa (absolute height) · fr altitude (distance measured upwards) · ja 高度 (distance measured upwards) · da højde (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · el ύψος (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · sv höjd (distance measured upwards) · pt altitude (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · fa فرازا (distance measured upwards) · he רום (absolute height) · fa فرازا (absolute height) · it altezza (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · az yüksəklik (distance measured upwards) · ga airde (distance measured upwards) · cmn 高度 (absolute height) · ro înălțime (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · vec altézsa (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · nl hoogte (distance measured angularly of a heavenly body) · sv höjd (absolute height) · ca altitud (absolute height) · nl hoogte (distance measured upwards) · hu magasság (absolute height) · tr irtifa (distance measured upwards) · mn өндөр (absolute height) · ja 海抜 (absolute height) · eo alteco (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · eo alto (distance measured upwards) · sv höjd (distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex) · hu magasság (distance measured upwards) · bg височина́ (distance measured upwards) · ru альтиту́да (absolute height)