stature
Americannoun
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the height of a human or animal body.
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the height of any object.
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degree of development attained; level of achievement.
a minister of great stature.
noun
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the height of something, esp a person or animal when standing
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the degree of development of a person
the stature of a champion
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intellectual or moral greatness
a man of stature
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of stature
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French estature < Latin statūra, equivalent to stat ( us ) past participle of stāre to stand + -ūra -ure
Explanation
Stature can refer to a person's height or the high level of respect with which she is regarded. Your grandmother might be small in stature, or height, but have great stature, or esteem, in her community. Stature comes from the Latin word statura, meaning "height, size of body, growth," but today, it also means "a high level of respect gained by achievement." For example, after you win a Nobel Prize, your new stature will bring new fans, more sales of your book, invitations to many exclusive dinner parties, and maybe even your picture on magazine covers all over the world.
Vocabulary lists containing stature
Boy: Tales of Childhood
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Bless Me, Ultima
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Purple Hibiscus
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Much has been made of 5ft 9in Fery's stature, given he is shorter than most of his peers on the ATP Tour.
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
But both Griffin’s stature and her story had readers asking questions even before the book was published in March 2025.
From Salon • Jun. 25, 2026
As Mbappé’s stature grew in the game, however, he was less and less content playing on the flank.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
Given Waters’ stature as a congressional representative for 35 years, Ali said, her slate mailers can swing outcomes.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
She’s nothing like him, from hair to facial features to stature to style.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
