height

noun

\ ˈhīt

, nonstandard ˈhītth

Definition of height

1a : the part that rises or extends upward the greatest distance : the highest part : summit reached the height of the mountain

b : the most advanced or extreme point of something : zenith at the height of his powers during the height of the violence

2a : the distance from the bottom to the top of someone or something standing upright estimating the height of a tree a woman of average height six feet in height

b : the extent of elevation above a level The land reaches a height of 600 feet above sea level.

3 : the condition of being tall or extending upward a great distance He was surprised by her height. other ball players who have more height

4a : an extent of land rising to a considerable degree above the surrounding country

b : a point or position that is advanced or extreme or that extends upward a great distance : a high point or position afraid of heights the heights and depths of love

5 obsolete : an advanced social rank

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about height

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Choose the Right Synonym for height

height, altitude, elevation mean vertical distance either between the top and bottom of something or between a base and something above it. height refers to something measured vertically whether high or low. a wall two meters in height altitude and elevation apply to height as measured by angular measurement or atmospheric pressure; altitude is preferable when referring to vertical distance above the surface of the earth or above sea level; elevation is used especially in reference to vertical height on land. fly at an altitude of 10,000 meters Denver is a city with a high elevation

height, altitude, and elevation mean distance upward. height may be used in measuring something from bottom to top. The wall is ten feet in height. altitude is used in measuring the distance above a fixed level. A plane was flying at a low altitude. elevation is used in measuring the height to which something is raised. The elevation of the tower is 300 feet.

Examples of height in a Sentence

What's the height of the building? These bushes grow to heights of up to five feet. a woman of average height We were measured for height and weight. The ride has a height requirement. You have to be four feet tall to ride. I was surprised by his height. The land reaches a height of 600 feet above sea level.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adding two to three feet of water height would be like increasing a storm's surge by one category on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale. — Brandon Miller, CNN, "Climate change makes storms like Dorian more dangerous," 4 Sep. 2019 Since the trees were of such height, crews cordoned off a large work area for safety. — Gary Richards, The Mercury News, "Traffic around Valley Fair is a mess: Roadshow," 2 Sep. 2019 Despite his incompatible build and fear of heights, a small-town plane dreams of one day competing as a high-flying air racer. — Los Angeles Times, "Movies on TV this week Sept. 1 - 7, 2019: John Wayne in ‘The Searchers’ and more," 30 Aug. 2019 The data collection involves numerous instruments on towers of varying heights, lasers, drones, weather balloons and low-flying aircraft. — USA TODAY, "Record grapefruit, light rail win, Snake Road: News from around our 50 states," 29 Aug. 2019 My motivation went beyond conquering a fear of heights or checking an item off my bucket list. — Karen Burke, Detroit Free Press, "Why I choose to go over the edge for Leader Dogs for the Blind," 21 Aug. 2019 The vessels, placed on pedestals of different heights, are configured out of musical order, to emphasize their range and varied provenances. — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, "Making Music from the Met’s Forgotten Treasures," 12 Aug. 2019 For players who haven’t reached the majors, the strike zone is the aggregate average zone for players of that height. — Nathan Ruiz, baltimoresun.com, "‘There’s no way you’re fooling a machine’: A first-person look at the robot umpire system being tested by MLB," 8 Aug. 2019 The vast majority of those who underwent the trial rated themselves as free of fear of heights at the end of the two-week treatment—and this assessment was maintained in a follow-up two weeks later. — Simon Makin, Scientific American, "Can an Illusory World Help Treat Psychosis’s Real-World Delusions?," 2 Aug. 2019

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

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Last Updated

9 Sep 2019

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Time Traveler for height

The first known use of height was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for height

height

noun

English Language Learners Definition of height

: a measurement of how tall a person or thing is : the distance from the bottom to the top of a person or thing

: the condition of being tall

: the distance above a level or surface

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

height

noun

\ ˈhīt

Kids Definition of height

1 : the distance from the bottom to the top of something standing upright

2 : distance upward

3 : the highest point or greatest degree She was at the height of her career.

height

noun

\ ˈhīt

, ˈhītth

Medical Definition of height

: the distance from the bottom to the top of something standing upright especially : the distance from the lowest to the highest point of an animal body especially of a human being in a natural standing position or from the lowest point to an arbitrarily chosen upper point a man six feet in height a dog two feet in height at the shoulder