breadth

American  

[bredth, bretth, breth] / brɛdθ, brɛtθ, brɛθ /

noun

1. the measure of the second largest dimension of a plane or solid figure; width.

2. an extent or piece of something of definite or full width or as measured by its width.

   a breadth of cloth.

3. freedom from narrowness or restraint; liberality.

   a person with great breadth of view.

   Synonyms:

   open-mindedness, impartiality, latitude

4. size in general; extent.

   Synonyms:

   compass, reach, range, scope, span

5. Art. a broad or general effect due to subordination of details or nonessentials.

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breadth British  

/ brɛtθ, brɛdθ /

noun

1. the linear extent or measurement of something from side to side; width

2. a piece of fabric having a standard or definite width

3. distance, extent, size, or dimension

4. openness and lack of restriction, esp of viewpoint or interest; liberality

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• breadthless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of breadth

1515–25; earlier bredeth, equivalent to brede breadth ( Middle English; Old English brǣdu, equivalent to brǣd-, mutated variant of brād broad + -u noun suffix) + -th ¹ ( def. ) akin to German Breite, Gothic braidei

Explanation

If you measure the distance of an object from side to side, you are measuring the object’s breadth: “Theodore measured the breadth of the table before buying it to make sure it would fit in his small kitchen.” Breadth often refers to a physical measurement, but it can also be used to describe comprehensiveness or largeness of any kind, such as breadth of knowledge or breadth of experience. In the famous sentence describing Macedonian king Alexander the Great, the word breadth is used to indicate the vastness of Alexander’s empire: “When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer.”

Example Sentences

"The range of musical genres represented is a testament to the breadth and diversity of music played on Radio 2 - there is truly something for everybody."

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

Far from signaling strategic realignment, recent bilateral initiatives demonstrate the breadth and depth of cooperation between our two countries.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

The index is at new highs even as market breadth remains weak, meaning more constituents are declining than advancing.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

However, beneath the surface, the index has posted negative breadth for six straight trading sessions — meaning more S&P 500 stocks fell than rose, even as the index itself kept moving higher.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

Though his voice is cool and flat as a legionnaire's, he doesn't have the breadth and height of a Martial.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Related Words

• comprehensiveness
• dimension
• fullness
• magnitude
• range
• scale
• scope
• size