latitude
/ˈlatɪtjuːd
/noun
1The angular distance of a place north or south of the earth’s equator, or of the equator of a celestial object, usually expressed in degrees and minutes: at a latitude of 51° N [mass noun]: lines of latitude...
- The polar ice caps will expand to reach around 45 degrees latitude north and south.
- The approximate center of the island group is eight degrees north latitude and 169 east longitude.
- We forget that Bethlehem is located in a desert, at a latitude of 31.68 degrees north, an elevation of 2,250 feet.
Synonyms
parallel, grid line
1.1 (latitudes) Regions, especially with reference to their temperature and distance from the equator: temperate latitudes northern latitudes...
- Here in the temperate northern latitudes trees have adapted over eons of regular annual seasons.
- Six nations, all at least partly situated in temperate latitudes, can expect the least warming.
- Broad environmental conditions, particularly average temperatures, differ less among populations in equatorial regions than at higher latitudes.
2 [mass noun] Scope for freedom of action or thought: journalists have considerable latitude in criticizing public figures...
- And I thought it would be great to have a character like that, who was like them, who had their freedom and latitude.
- This implies that the job has been designed to require a wide range of qualifications and to offer considerable leeway or latitude in deciding what to do and how to do it.
- Contracting parties are given considerable latitude, consistent with the doctrine of freedom of contract.
Synonyms
freedom, scope, leeway, elbow room, breathing space, space, room, flexibility, liberty, independence, play, slack, free rein, free play, licence, self-determination, room to manoeuvre, scope for initiative, freedom of action, freedom from restriction, a free hand, margin, leisure, unrestrictedness, indulgence, laxity
informal wriggle room, wiggle room
French carte blanche
3 Photography The range of exposures for which an emulsion or printing paper will give acceptable contrast: a film with a latitude which is outstanding...
- That lack of exposure latitude in film is the second reason many photographs don't turn out the way we remember the scene.
- I keep using a 35 mm, as the exposure latitude is so much better than with my digital compact.
- The actual exposures are close enough for just about any camera these days with the latitude in the films being so wide, so the other differences now will come down to user friendliness.
Derivatives
latitudinal
/ adjective ...- A third prominent hypothesis related to latitudinal variation in body size is that of countergradient variation, also known as the latitudinal compensation hypothesis.
- Longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates for each livestock auction were used to determine the relationship between location and selling price using a regression analysis.
- We used a molecular fingerprinting technique to analyze the distribution and composition of eukaryotic picoplankton along latitudinal transects in the Southern Ocean.
latitudinally
- Cells on the primordium surface expand mostly latitudinally, while some contraction may take place in the meridional direction.
- The other six species have not previously been reported to segregate latitudinally, but studies of segregation on Neotropical wintering grounds have been few.
- Today, they are essentially either latitudinally or elevationally allopatric but do come into contact in a few areas that are intermediate in latitude or elevation.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin latitudo 'breadth', from latus 'broad'.
lateral from Late Middle English:
This word meaning ‘at or to the side’ is from Latin lateralis, ‘side, broad’ also found in latitude (Late Middle English).