elevation

American  

[el-uh-vey-shuhn] / ˌɛl əˈveɪ ʃən /

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.

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elevation British  

/ 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

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elevation Scientific  

/ ĕl′ə-vā′shən /

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.

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Related Words

See height.

Other Word Forms

• elevational
  adjective
• nonelevation
  noun
• reelevation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of elevation

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; see origin at elevate, -ion

Explanation

An elevation is a rise or the raising of something. Mountains have an elevation based on how high they are and your mood has an elevation as you get happier. Elevation is a noun that tells how high something is raised above a surface or ground line. It's also a term for measuring things like temperatures or degrees. Your body temperature might have an elevation if you have the flu, just as the elevation of a hill increases as it gets steeper. Buildings have an elevation too: The front of a building from top to bottom is its front elevation of the structure.

Example Sentences

“The world does not need $120 oil,” said Steven Pruett, chief executive of Midland, Texas-based oil producer Elevation Resources.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

Steven Pruett is the president and CEO of Elevation Resources, a Permian Basin oil company, and the immediate past chair of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, one of the industry’s main trade groups.

From Salon • Sep. 4, 2025

Elevation was a key variable in regions that were mountainous or included a major river delta.

From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2024

Forbes was valued at $475 million in 2014 when Integrated Whale Media bought a majority stake in the company from the Forbes family and investment group Elevation Partners.

From Reuters • Nov. 21, 2023

Elevation of coast near, 46.Not a volcano, 167.St.

From North America by Russell, Israel C. (Cook)

Related Words

• altitude
• ascent
• mountain