latitude

American  

[lat-i-tood, -tyood] / ˈlæt ɪˌtud, -ˌtyud /

noun

1. Geography.

   1. the angular distance north or south from the equator of a point on the earth's surface, measured on the meridian of the point.

   2. a place or region as marked by this distance.

2. freedom from narrow restrictions; freedom of action, opinion, etc..

   He allowed his children a fair amount of latitude.

   Synonyms:

   indulgence, liberty, extent

3. Astronomy.

   1. celestial latitude.

   2. galactic latitude.

4. Photography. the ability of an emulsion to record the brightness values of a subject in their true proportion to one another, expressed as the ratio of the amount of brightness in the darkest possible value to the amount of brightness in the brightest.

   a latitude of 1 to 128.

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latitude British  

/ ˈlætɪˌtjuːd /

noun

1. 1. an angular distance in degrees north or south of the equator (latitude 0°), equal to the angle subtended at the centre of the globe by the meridian between the equator and the point in question

   2. (often plural) a region considered with regard to its distance from the equator See longitude

2. scope for freedom of action, thought, etc; freedom from restriction

   his parents gave him a great deal of latitude

3. photog the range of exposure over which a photographic emulsion gives an acceptable negative

4. astronomy See celestial latitude

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latitude Scientific  

/ lăt′ĭ-to̅o̅d′ /

1. A measure of relative position north or south on the Earth's surface, measured in degrees from the equator, which has a latitude of 0°, with the poles having a latitude of 90° north and south. The distance of a degree of latitude is about 69 statute miles or 60 nautical miles (111 km). Latitude and longitude are the coordinates that together identify all positions on the Earth's surface.

2. Compare longitude

3. Celestial latitude.

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latitude Cultural  

1. The measurement, in degrees, of a place's distance north or south of the equator. (Compare longitude.)

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Related Words

See range.

Other Word Forms

• latitudinal adjective
• latitudinally adverb

Etymology

Origin of latitude

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin lātitūdō “breadth,” equivalent to lāt(us) “broad” + -i- -i- + -tūdō -tude

Explanation

Use the word latitude to describe how much freedom you have in making choices. For example, if a teacher gives you latitude in writing your paper, you might get to choose the topic and how many sources to include. Latitude is related to the Latin word latitudo, meaning "breadth, width, extent, size." You might already know that latitude is used to indicate the distance an object is from the equator, measured from north to south. Latitude can also be used to mean "be given the space to act and decide for oneself," like the latitude parents might give responsible kids.

Example Sentences

The committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices has latitude in determining which companies make it into the S&P 500, as long as the new entrants meet various criteria around profitability, market capitalization and more.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Prosecution barrister Edward Kalber urged magistrates to send the case to crown court "to give maximum latitude for the sentencing decision".

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

This alignment also reveals where the rock was located on the planet when it formed, including its latitude.

From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 2026

Yet the president is certainly entitled to a degree of latitude in decisively responding to active threats to the nation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

I'll have to wait for another Phobos transit to get my longitude, and I'll need to wait for nightfall to sight Deneb for my latitude.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Related Words

• elbow room