ALTITUDE

altitude, height

(noun) elevation especially above sea level or above the earth’s surface; “the altitude gave her a headache”

elevation, EL, altitude, ALT

(noun) angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object)

altitude

(noun) the perpendicular distance from the base of a geometric figure to the opposite vertex (or side if parallel)

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

altitude (countable and uncountable, plural altitudes)

The absolute height of a location, usually measured from sea level.

A vertical distance.

(geometry) The distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex.

(astronomy) The angular distance of a heavenly body above our Earth's horizon.

Height of rank or excellence; superiority.

(dated, in the plural) Elevation of spirits; heroics; haughty airs.

Highest point or degree.

Anagrams

• latitude

Source: Wiktionary

Al"ti*tude, n. Etym: [L. altitudo, fr. altus high. Cf. Altar, Haughty, Enhance.]

1. Space extended upward; height; the perpendicular elevation of an object above its foundation, above the ground, or above a given level, or of one object above another; as, the altitude of a mountain, or of a bird above the top of a tree.

2. (Astron.)

Definition: The elevation of a point, or star, or other celestial object, above the horizon, measured by the arc of a vertical circle intercepted between such point and the horizon. It is either true or apparent; true when measured from the rational or real horizon, apparent when from the sensible or apparent horizon.

3. (Geom.)

Definition: The perpendicular distance from the base of a figure to the summit, or to the side parallel to the base; as, the altitude of a triangle, pyramid, parallelogram, frustum, etc.

4. Height of degree; highest point or degree. He is [proud] even to the altitude of his virtue. Shak.

5. Height of rank or excellence; superiority. Swift.

6. pl.

Definition: Elevation of spirits; heroics; haughty airs. [Colloq.] Richardson. The man of law began to get into his altitude. Sir W. Scott. Meridian altitude, an arc of the meridian intercepted between the south point on the horizon and any point on the meridian. See Meridian, 3.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition