longitude

American  

[lon-ji-tood, -tyood] / ˈlɒn dʒɪˌtud, -ˌtyud /

noun

1. Geography. angular distance east or west on the earth's surface, measured by the angle contained between the meridian of a particular place and some prime meridian, as that of Greenwich, England, and expressed either in degrees or by some corresponding difference in time.

2. Astronomy.

   1. celestial longitude.

   2. galactic longitude.

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longitude British  

/ ˈlɒndʒɪˌtjuːd, ˈlɒŋɡ- /

noun

1. distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian at 0° measured by the angle between the plane of the prime meridian and that of the meridian through the point in question, or by the corresponding time difference See latitude

2. astronomy short for celestial longitude

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longitude Scientific  

/ lŏn′jĭ-to̅o̅d′ /

1. A measure of relative position east or west on the Earth's surface, given in degrees from a certain meridian, usually the prime meridian at Greenwich, England, which has a longitude of 0°. The distance of a degree of longitude is about 69 statute miles or 60 nautical miles (111 km) at the equator, decreasing to zero at the poles. Longitude and latitude are the coordinates used to identify any point on the Earth's surface.

2. Compare latitude

3. Celestial longitude.

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longitude Cultural  

1. A measurement, in degrees, of a place's distance east or west of the prime meridian, which runs through Greenwich, England. (Compare latitude.)

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Etymology

Origin of longitude

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin longitūdō length. See longi-, -tude

Explanation

In geography, longitude refers to the imaginary lines that bisect the globe through the North and South Poles (the ones that run vertically, as opposed to the lines of latitude that run horizontally, parallel to the equator). If you state your exact longitude, you are describing how far east or west you are of the Prime Meridian, the imaginary line of longitude which runs through Greenwich, England. When you add your latitude, anyone with a map can pinpoint exactly where you are in the world. If you're standing at a latitude of 40°41.3'N and a longitude of 74°02.7'W, for example, you are at the Statue of Liberty.

Example Sentences

The globe had been cut in half while he worked on it, and he held his breath as he put the two sides together—praying that the countries, latitude and longitude lines would match.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 9, 2025

At 105 degrees West longitude, an active satellite might see a piece of junk come within 50km of its position up to four times a day.

From BBC • Nov. 8, 2024

But it is “rarely an issue,” he said, because 911 calls show the latitude and longitude of the caller, and dispatchers use Rapid Deploy, which pings cellphone locations.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2024

The history of navigational advancements hinges on the portability of accurate timepieces -- from determining longitude at sea in the 16th Century to ensuring the accurate navigation of space missions and achieving better geo-localization today.

From Science Daily • Dec. 8, 2023

And he, Bull Meecham, would turn his boys southeastward, interpret the exact language of latitude and longitude, then drive toward the unarmed fleet.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

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