depth

noun

\ ˈdepth

plural depths\ ˈdepths

, ˈdep(t)s

Definition of depth

1a(1) : a deep place in a body of water fish living at great depths

(2) : a part that is far from the outside or surface the depths of the woods

(3) : abyss sense 1

b(1) : a profound or intense state (as of thought or feeling) the depths of sorrow also : a reprehensibly low condition hadn't realized that standards had fallen to such depths

(2) : the middle of a time (such as a season) the depths of winter

(3) : the worst part the depths of the depression

2 mathematics

a : the perpendicular (see perpendicular entry 1 sense 1b) measurement downward from a surface the depth of a swimming pool

b : the direct linear measurement from front to back the depth of a bookshelf

3 : the quality of being deep the depth of the pass

4 : the degree of intensity depth of a color also : the quality of being profound (as in insight) or full (as of knowledge) the depth of her experience

5 : the quality or state of being complete or thorough a study will be made in depth

6 US, sports : the quality of having many good players a team that lacks depth in the outfield

beyond one's depth or out of one's depth

: beyond the limits of one's capabilities an actor who is out of his depth in serious drama

Other Words from depth Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about depth

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of depth in a Sentence

These fish typically live at depths of 500 feet or more. Students will test the temperature of the water at different depths. The boat sank to a depth of several hundred feet. measuring the depth of the water the depth of a hole The pool has a depth of 12 feet. I began working at the factory during the depth of the Depression.

Recent Examples on the Web

According to The Japan Times, parts of the aircraft were recovered at a depth of 1,500 meters—or 4,900 feet—below the surface of the ocean. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The U.S. Ends Search for Missing F-35 Fighter Jet," 10 May 2019 Dion reveals a depth of emotion that seems inconceivable to us cynical mortals. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Céline Dion's Reactions at Couture Fashion Shows Are More Beautiful Than Any Dress Could Be," 24 Jan. 2019 Divers have been able to go down to a depth of about 40 feet, but were unable to go any deeper, as the tunnels got narrower. — Krishna Pokharel, WSJ, "Divers Start Hunt for 15 Missing in Indian ‘Rathole’ Mine, Weeks After It Flooded," 30 Dec. 2018 Vertically, the portion of the fault that slipped starts at the top of the oceanic plate—about 15km below the Earth’s surface—and continues all the way down to a depth of about 80km, which is roughly the bottom of the plate. — Scott K. Johnson, Ars Technica, "2017 earthquake off Mexico broke through an entire tectonic plate," 4 Oct. 2018 The earthquake struck the central Sulawesi region around 6 p.m. and was centered at a depth of 6 miles about 35 miles northeast of Donggala, the U.S. Geological Survey said. — Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, "7.5 magnitude earthquake in Indonesia triggers tsunami, officials say," 29 Sep. 2018 Cavern divers can explore down to a depth of 115 feet. — Richard Tribou, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Explore Florida's Holmes County: Whirlwind of fun at Vortex Springs," 3 July 2018 Mike Lane, a hydrologist with Rural Focus, said that in the 1980s boreholes in Nairobi were drilled to a depth of 262 feet. — Isaiah Esipisu, The Christian Science Monitor, "In sustainability search, Kenya studies the unknown depths of its aquifers," 2 July 2018 All three of the wines had a depth of texture that seemed to unfold in the mouth, always a characteristic of good aligoté. — Eric Asimov, New York Times, "The Aligoté Defense Rests," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'depth.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for depth

depth

noun

English Language Learners Definition of depth

: a distance below a surface

: the distance from the front of something to the back

: an area that exists far below a surface or far inside something : a deep place or area

See the full definition for depth in the English Language Learners Dictionary

depth

noun

\ ˈdepth

Kids Definition of depth

1 : measurement from top to bottom or from front to back a cupboard's depth

2 : a place far below a surface or far inside something (as a sea or a forest) Some unusual fish live at great depths.

3 : the middle of time the depth of winter

4 : intensity sense 2 a depth of color No one can imagine the … depth of our emotion …— E. B. White, The Trumpet of the Swan

5 : abundance, completeness The speaker displayed a depth of knowledge.

depth

noun

\ ˈdepth

plural depths\ ˈdepth

, ˈdep(t)s

Medical Definition of depth

1 : the distance between upper and lower or between dorsal and ventral points of a body

2 : the quality of a state of consciousness, a bodily state, or a physiological function of being intense or complete the depth of anesthesia the depth of respiration