thickness
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being thick
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the dimension through an object, as opposed to length or width
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a layer of something
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a thick part
Etymology
Origin of thickness
before 900; Middle English thiknesse, Old English thicnes. See thick, -ness
Explanation
The word thickness refers to the distance between the sides of an object, or how dense and solid something feels — like the weight of a cozy blanket or the richness of a creamy soup. Thickness can refer to the physical width of an item, like the thickness of a book or a slice of bread. It can also describe the concentration of a substance, such as the thickness of paint on a wall. Thickness can even describe something’s heaviness or sturdiness, like the solid weight of a durable winter coat.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Thickness is an important spec for smartwatches, and trying to make the Pro seem slimmer this way is icky.
From The Verge • Sep. 7, 2022
Around the same time, Campbell Soup sponsored a classroom kit called the “Prego Thickness Experiment.”
From New York Times • Oct. 23, 2018
Thickness is controlled by a reversible plate that slots into sequential grooves, and it manages seven settings.
From The Guardian • Aug. 5, 2015
Thickness of lines represents the relative transmission rate between two regions.
From Nature • May 12, 2015
Thickness of shell was of minor importance as only a few were thick enough to make cracking difficult.
From Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the Thirty-Eighth Annual Meeting Guelph, Ontario, September 3, 4, 5, 1947 by Northern Nut Growers Association
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
