width

[ width, witthor, often, with ]

noun

1. extent from side to side; breadth; wideness.
2. a piece of the full wideness, as of cloth.

width

/ wɪdθ /

noun

1. the linear extent or measurement of something from side to side, usually being the shortest dimension or (for something fixed) the shortest horizontal dimension
2. the state or fact of being wide
3. a piece or section of something at its full extent from side to side

   a width of cloth

4. the distance across a rectangular swimming bath, as opposed to its length

Word History and Origins

Origin of width¹

1620–30; wide + -th ¹, modeled on breadth, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of width¹

C17: from wide + -th ¹, analogous to breadth

Example Sentences

The tiny electrodes were only 17 microns apart -- less than half the width of a human hair -- and the smallest movement of the brain slices could skew their results.

From Science Daily

The two Test matches this month have been excruciatingly close; England have been the width of a post and a fumbled kick-off away from winning both games.

From BBC

When they play the way they want, they are super dangerous - and they are the width of a post and one phase at the death away from being two wins from two.

From BBC

The new network will use the European railway track width and connect seamlessly with railways across the EU.

From BBC

It was a similar story on the other side, and because Porro also ended up inside of Johnson, Tottenham did not have any width whatsoever.

From BBC

Related Words

• diameter
• girth
• scope
• span
• thickness