latitude

noun

lat·i·tude | \ ˈla-tə-ˌtüd

, -ˌtyüd\

Definition of latitude

1 : angular distance from some specified circle or plane of reference: such as

a : angular distance north or south from the earth's equator measured through 90 degrees an island located at 40 degrees north latitude

b : a region or locality as marked by its latitude

c : angular distance of a celestial body from the ecliptic

2 : freedom of action or choice students are allowed considerable latitude in choosing courses

3a : scope, range

b : the range of exposures within which a film or plate will produce a negative or positive of satisfactory quality

4 archaic : extent or distance from side to side : width

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

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from latitude

latitudinal \ ˌla-tə-ˈtüd-nəl

, -ˈtyüd- ; -ˈtü-də-nəl , -ˈtyü- \ adjective

latitudinally adverb

Examples of latitude in a Sentence

a map of the world showing lines of latitude and longitude located at a latitude of 40 degrees north Madrid and New York City are on nearly the same latitude. islands located at different latitudes We weren't given much latitude in deciding how to do the job. The judge has wide latitude to reject evidence for the trial.

Recent Examples on the Web

Within 60 seconds of hearing something, ShotSpotter's sensors can report the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the shot, how many shots there were, and the direction and speed of the bullet's travel. — Dan Rosenbaum, Ars Technica, "All hail the AI overlord: Smart cities and the AI Internet of Things," 7 Dec. 2018 To be clear, Article XXII affords teams’ wide latitude in the disclosure of medical information. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "The Potential Legal Consequences of Bryan Colangelo's Twitter Controversy," 30 May 2018 The station could enter the atmosphere anywhere between latitude 43 degrees north and 43 degrees south, the edges of its orbit. — Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, "Falling Chinese Space Station to Crash This Weekend," 30 Mar. 2018 The other is congressional lethargy; like agencies, the courts have latitude to interpret statutes subject to congressional correction. — Gregory Koger, Vox, "The job of Congress: a primer," 17 Apr. 2018 Higher latitudes and warmer overall global temperatures meant that our frozen continent was a temperate forest many, many yesterdays ago. — John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, "Found in the Cold Mountains of Antarctica: A Warm Weather Lizard Fossil," 31 Jan. 2019 The data include estimates of the latitude and longitude of each named storm's center at six-hour intervals. — Anchorage Daily News, "Hurricanes are moving more slowly. That makes them more dangerous.," 6 June 2018 Of the 20 reviewed by the Times, 17 apps shared exact user latitude and longitude signals with about 70 businesses. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Popular Apps Are Tracking And Selling Your Location Data to an Alarming Degree," 10 Dec. 2018 Lastly you'll be asked more specific questions like time, date, and even the latitude and longitude of the location. — Taylor Mead, House Beautiful, "These Star Map Prints Are The Perfect Holiday Gift To Remember A Special Moment," 28 Nov. 2018

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