elevation

[el-uh-vey-shuhn]

noun

1. the height to which something is elevated or to which it rises.

   The elevation of the tower is 80 feet.

   Antonyms: depth

2. the altitude of a place above sea level or ground level.

3. an elevated place, thing, or part; an eminence.

   Synonyms: plateau, mountain, hill, height

4. loftiness; grandeur or dignity; nobleness.

   elevation of mind.

   Synonyms: nobility, exaltation

5. the act of elevating.

   Her swift elevation to the chancellorship took no one by surprise.

6. the state of being elevated.

   She was fully enjoying her elevation to movie stardom.

7. Architecture.,  a drawing or design that represents an object or structure as being projected geometrically on a vertical plane parallel to one of its sides.

8. Surveying.

   1. angle of elevation.

   2. the distance above a datum level.

9. the ability of a dancer to stay in the air while executing a step or the height thus attained.

10. Roman Catholic Church.,  the Elevation, the lifting by the celebrant of the Eucharistic elements immediately after consecration, for adoration by the communicants.

elevation

/ ˌɛlɪˈveɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of elevating or the state of being elevated

2. the height of something above a given or implied place, esp above sea level

3. a raised area; height

4. nobleness or grandeur; loftiness

   elevation of thought

5. a drawing to scale of the external face of a building or structure Compare plan ground plan

6. the external face of a building or structure

7. a ballet dancer's ability to leap high

8. RC Church the lifting up of the Host at Mass for adoration

9. astronomy another name for altitude

10. the angle formed between the muzzle of a gun and the horizontal

11. surveying the angular distance between the plane through a point of observation and an object above it Compare depression

12. linguistics another term for amelioration

elevation

1. The vertical distance between a standard reference point, such as sea level, and the top of an object or point on the Earth, such as a mountain. At 8,850 m (29,028 ft), the summit of Mount Everest is the highest elevation on Earth.

Other Word Forms

• nonelevation noun
• reelevation noun
• elevational adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of elevation¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin ēlevātiōn- (stem of ēlevātiō ), equivalent to ēlevāt(us) “lifted, raised up” + -iōn- noun suffix; elevate, -ion

Synonym Study

See height.

Example Sentences

A typical response is RICE—or rest, ice, compression and elevation—for the next two to three days.

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Few dispute that a drop in elevation equates to a faster run.

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“Nothing can derail a brand elevation journey like too much inventory,” he said.

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Within two days, 40-plus miles and some 5,000 feet of elevation, I was gobsmacked by the vistas, the morning light on the canyons and the solitude on the campground — aside from the abundant wildlife.

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That changed around 2008 or 2009, when the horses began lingering at lower elevations, where the open country makes it difficult for lions to hunt.

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Related Words

• altitude 
• ascent 
• mountain