the angular distance north or south from the equator of a point on the earth's surface, measured on the meridian of the point.
a place or region as marked by this distance.
freedom from narrow restrictions; freedom of action, opinion, etc.: He allowed his children a fair amount of latitude.
Astronomy.
celestial latitude.
galactic latitude.
Photography. the ability of an emulsion to record the brightness values of a subject in their true proportion to one another, expressed as the ratio of the amount of brightness in the darkest possible value to the amount of brightness in the brightest: a latitude of 1 to 128.
Origin of latitude
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin lātitūdō “breadth,” equivalent to lāt(us) “broad” + -i- -i- + -tūdō -tude
“Permafrost is a feature that has been part of the underground landscape in high latitudes for a long time,” says Sawyer at Ohio State.
Busy beavers may be speeding thaw of Arctic permafrost|Kathiann Kowalski|August 31, 2020|Science News For Students
As the MJO moves across and out of the Maritime Continent, it triggers stronger circulation patterns that push air toward higher latitudes.
Improved three-week weather forecasts could save lives from disaster|Alexandra Witze|August 27, 2020|Science News
For example, you can add a metric structure to the surface of a ball, like longitude and latitude lines on a globe.
How Physics Found a Geometric Structure for Math to Play With|Kevin Hartnett|July 29, 2020|Quanta Magazine
Occasionally, designers are granted the creative latitude to create mascots from the ground up, in any shape or taxonomy.
For Aspiring Performers, The NBA Is The Best Place To Be A Mascot|Josh Planos|July 17, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
The latitude where this forest once existed, 82° S, is a paleolatitude, Gramling says.
Readers ask about the size of the Milky Way, ancient rainforests and COVID-19|Science News Staff|June 14, 2020|Science News
The longitude between Queens and the Kremlin gave Channel One some latitude.
From Moscow to Queens, Down Sergei Dovlatov Way|Daniel Genis|September 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Or the party might allow an insider some latitude to edge back toward the political center.
Will 2016 be for Republicans what 1988 was for Democrats?|David Frum|April 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The license covers half the area of the Golan from the latitude of Katzrin in the north to Tzemach in the south.
Israeli-American Company To Drill For Oil In Occupied Golan Heights|Emily L. Hauser|February 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The good news is that the “mostly guilty” verdict means that the judge has latitude in considering a sentence.
Jury Did the Right Thing in Ravi Case|Jay Michaelson|March 16, 2012|DAILY BEAST
She likes to use "grand words" like latitude and longitude; her biggest fear is to appear "ignorant."
Alice, Bratty in Wonderland|Nicole LaPorte|February 28, 2010|DAILY BEAST
It is the season of verdure and growth, and frosts are both slight and infrequent in the latitude of San Francisco.
Peculiarities of American Cities|Willard Glazier
It is almost essential for any astronomical meridian or latitude.
How to Observe in Archaeology|Various
So that, between this latitude and Shoal Ness, in latitude 60°, the coast is entirely unexplored.
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 16|Robert Kerr
My principles have been various, among various men; I had to change them with every change of latitude.
Gobseck|Honore de Balzac
Are they thrown out of their latitude by this stratagem, are or they not?
The Mason-bees|J. Henri Fabre
British Dictionary definitions for latitude
latitude
/ (ˈlætɪˌtjuːd) /
noun
an angular distance in degrees north or south of the equator (latitude 0°), equal to the angle subtended at the centre of the globe by the meridian between the equator and the point in question
(often plural)a region considered with regard to its distance from the equatorSee longitude (def. 1)
scope for freedom of action, thought, etc; freedom from restrictionhis parents gave him a great deal of latitude
photogthe range of exposure over which a photographic emulsion gives an acceptable negative
“Latitude” vs. “Longitude”Latitude and longitude got you twisted in knots? We're here to explain the difference between them, and how to read them correctly. Never get lost in a map again!
A measure of relative position north or south on the Earth's surface, measured in degrees from the equator, which has a latitude of 0°, with the poles having a latitude of 90° north and south. The distance of a degree of latitude is about 69 statute miles or 60 nautical miles (111 km). Latitude and longitude are the coordinates that together identify all positions on the Earth's surface. Compare longitude.