depth

[ depth ]

noun

1. a dimension taken through an object or body of material, usually downward from an upper surface, horizontally inward from an outer surface, or from top to bottom of something regarded as one of several layers.
2. the quality of being deep; deepness.
3. complexity or obscurity, as of a subject:

   a question of great depth.

4. gravity; seriousness:

   I don't think you recognize the depth of the problem.

   Synonyms: weight, significance, importance, import

5. emotional profundity:

   the depth of someone's feelings.

6. intensity, as of silence, color, etc.
7. lowness of tonal pitch:

   the depth of a voice.

8. the amount of knowledge, intelligence, wisdom, insight, feeling, etc., present in a person's mind or evident either in some product of the mind, as a learned paper, argument, work of art, etc., or in the person's behavior.
9. a high degree of such knowledge, insight, etc.
10. Often depths. a deep part or place:

    from the depths of the ocean.

11. an unfathomable space; abyss:

    the depth of time.

12. Sometimes depths. the farthest, innermost, or extreme part or state:

    the depth of space;

    the depths of the forest;

    the depths of despair.

13. Usually depths. a low intellectual or moral condition:

    How could he sink to such depths?

14. the part of greatest intensity, as of night or winter.
15. Sports. the strength of a team in terms of the number and quality of its substitute players:

    With no depth in the infield, an injury to any of the regulars would be costly.

depth

/ dɛpθ /

noun

1. the extent, measurement, or distance downwards, backwards, or inwards
2. the quality of being deep; deepness
3. intensity or profundity of emotion or feeling
4. profundity of moral character; penetration; sagacity; integrity
5. complexity or abstruseness, as of thought or objects of thought
6. intensity, as of silence, colour, etc
7. lowness of pitch
8. nautical the distance from the top of a ship's keel to the top of a particular deck
9. often plural a deep, far, inner, or remote part, such as an inaccessible region of a country
10. often plural the deepest, most intense, or most severe part

    the depths of winter

11. usually plural a low moral state; demoralization

    how could you sink to such depths?

12. often plural a vast space or abyss
13. beyond one's depth
    beyond one's depthout of one's depth
    1. in water deeper than one is tall
    2. beyond the range of one's competence or understanding
14. See in-depth
    in depth
    in depth thoroughly or comprehensively See also in-depth

Other Words From

• depthless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of depth¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English depthe, equivalent to deep + -th ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of depth¹

C14: from dep deep + -th ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in depth, extensively or thoroughly:

   Make a survey in depth of the conditions.

2. out of / beyond one's depth,
   1. in water deeper than one's height or too deep for one's safety.
   2. beyond one's knowledge or capability:

      The child is being taught subjects that are beyond his depth.

More idioms and phrases containing depth

see in depth ; out of one's depth .

Example Sentences

My trip takes the reverse path, and I begin by assessing the depth of my Shakespeare knowledge in his birthplace.

From The Daily Beast

Zoe Saldana has also recently praised sci-fi movies for the depth and breadth of women in its ensembles.

From The Daily Beast

I am all for criticizing the press, and demanding that we get more depth to a story than a sensationalistic headline.

From The Daily Beast

Tune in next week for the rest of our in-depth interview with Mockingjay director Francis Lawrence.

From The Daily Beast

Magic and gaming involve in-depth worlds that feature both male and female characters.

From The Daily Beast

The dry earth, sun-baked to a depth of many feet, was giving off its store of heat accumulated during the day.

From Project Gutenberg

They reached a depth in his nature which had been long untouched; a stratum, so to speak, which lay far beneath the surface.

From Project Gutenberg

One of these is filled to a depth of about one-fourth inch from a puncture in the finger, and is set aside for a few hours.

From Project Gutenberg

No one has yet gone far enough down to test the depth of the veins in any Canadian mine.

From Project Gutenberg

They are on a lower level and are consequently worked at a greater depth than those next to be described.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• acumen
• intellect
• intelligence
• sense