latitude

American  

[lat-i-tood, -tyood] / ˈlæt ɪˌtud, -ˌtjud /

noun

• latitudes
  plural

1. Geography.

   1. the angular distance north or south from the equator of a point on the earth's surface, measured on the meridian of the point.

   2. a place or region as marked by this distance.

2. freedom from narrow restrictions; freedom of action, opinion, etc..

   He allowed his children a fair amount of latitude.

   Synonyms:

   indulgence, liberty, extent

3. Astronomy.

   1. celestial latitude.

   2. galactic latitude.

4. Photography. the ability of an emulsion to record the brightness values of a subject in their true proportion to one another, expressed as the ratio of the amount of brightness in the darkest possible value to the amount of brightness in the brightest.

   a latitude of 1 to 128.

---

latitude British  

/ ˈlætɪˌtjuːd /

noun

1. 1. an angular distance in degrees north or south of the equator (latitude 0°), equal to the angle subtended at the centre of the globe by the meridian between the equator and the point in question

   2. (often plural) a region considered with regard to its distance from the equator See longitude

2. scope for freedom of action, thought, etc; freedom from restriction

   his parents gave him a great deal of latitude

3. photog the range of exposure over which a photographic emulsion gives an acceptable negative

4. astronomy See celestial latitude

---

latitude Scientific  

/ lăt′ĭ-to̅o̅d′ /

1. A measure of relative position north or south on the Earth's surface, measured in degrees from the equator, which has a latitude of 0°, with the poles having a latitude of 90° north and south. The distance of a degree of latitude is about 69 statute miles or 60 nautical miles (111 km). Latitude and longitude are the coordinates that together identify all positions on the Earth's surface.

2. Compare longitude

3. Celestial latitude.

---

latitude Cultural  

1. The measurement, in degrees, of a place's distance north or south of the equator. (Compare longitude.)

---

Synonym Usage

See range.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• latitudinal
  adjective
• latitudinally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• latitudes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of latitude

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin lātitūdō “breadth,” equivalent to lāt(us) “broad” + -i- -i- + -tūdō -tude

Explanation

Use the word latitude to describe how much freedom you have in making choices. For example, if a teacher gives you latitude in writing your paper, you might get to choose the topic and how many sources to include. Latitude is related to the Latin word latitudo, meaning "breadth, width, extent, size." You might already know that latitude is used to indicate the distance an object is from the equator, measured from north to south. Latitude can also be used to mean "be given the space to act and decide for oneself," like the latitude parents might give responsible kids.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

latitude latitudes

This year, that happens in the UK on Friday 25 or Saturday 26 September, depending on your latitude.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

Airlines have a lot of latitude here because the DOT definition of a downgraded fare is murky, McGee says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

The researchers also had to account for subtle changes caused by the positions of the sun and the moon, as well as differences in terrain, latitude, and elevation.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026

Cherneff: One advantage of habeas was that there was more latitude for testimony.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

Alternatively, at night, you could measure latitude directly by measuring the angle between the horizon and the Pole Star.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

However, studies have shown that higher latitudes, particularly in the northern hemisphere, will see the biggest increases in favourable conditions for storms to form, and those that do may be more violent.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

As human populations expanded toward higher latitudes, expression of these digestive enzymes gradually declined.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026

When the new system becomes official in the next year, latitudes, longitudes and elevations across the country will change by as much as 13 feet.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow bands of water vapor that transport moisture from tropical regions toward higher latitudes.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

Later he learned that the post office in these latitudes was not as reliable as that of far-off England, and that all his telegrams had vaporized en route.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Related Words

• elbow room