longitude

noun lon·gi·tude \ˈlän-jə-ˌtüd, -ˌtyüd, British also ˈläŋ-gə-\

: distance measured in degrees east or west from an imaginary line (called the prime meridian) that goes from the North Pole to the South Pole and that passes through Greenwich, England

: an imaginary line that circles the Earth at a particular longitude

Full Definition of LONGITUDE

a : angular distance measured on a great circle of reference from the intersection of the adopted zero meridian with this reference circle to the similar intersection of the meridian passing through the object

b : the arc or portion of the earth's equator intersected between the meridian of a given place and the prime meridian and expressed either in degrees or in time

archaic : long duration

See longitude defined for English-language learners

See longitude defined for kids

Illustration of LONGITUDE

Origin of LONGITUDE

Middle English, from Latin longitudin-, longitudo, from longus

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with LONGITUDE

altitude, amplitude, aptitude, attitude, certitude, comfort food, consuetude, crassitude, desuetude, finger food, finitude, fortitude, gratitude, habitude, hebetude, interlude, lassitude, latitude, magnitude, mansuetude, multitude, negritude, platitude, plenitude, promptitude, pulchritude, quietude, rectitude, seminude, servitude, solitude, turpitude, vastitude

LONGITUDE Defined for Kids

longitude

noun lon·gi·tude \ˈlän-jə-ˌtüd, -ˌtyüd\

Definition of LONGITUDE for Kids

: distance measured in degrees east or west of an imaginary line that runs from the north pole to the south pole and passes through Greenwich, England