Definition of latitude in English:

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’

  More example sentences

  • ‘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.’
  • ‘He suggested measuring latitude, the distance north or south of the equator, by determining the ratio of the longest to the shortest day at that place.’
  • ‘However, we consider the force of her Saturn-Moon crossing to have some effect on the latitude of 53 degrees south around the entire globe.’
  • ‘Its goal is to visit each of the latitude and longitude integer degree intersections in the world, and to take pictures at each location.’
  • ‘Fifty-four degrees and forty minutes of north latitude was the northern boundary of the territory.’
  • ‘Sami territory lies at latitudes above 62 degrees north, and much of it is above the Arctic Circle, with dark, cold winters and warm, light summers.’
  • ‘The migration ranges as far south as 30-32 degrees north latitude off southern California and northern Baja, Mexico.’
  • ‘Another way is that we need three numbers to exactly locate ourselves on the Earth: longitude, latitude and elevation above sea level.’
  • ‘The polar ice caps will expand to reach around 45 degrees latitude north and south.’
  • ‘Go beyond 40 degrees south latitude, and you're in the Southern Ocean.’
  • ‘They are primarily seen at 40 degrees south latitude, and they appear at many longitudes.’
  • ‘The spots are located at 38 degrees south latitude.’
  • ‘We have about a 3-degree latitude in the steepness or the shallowness.’
  • ‘He sailed down to 40 degrees latitude but found there was no land.’
  • ‘He said he crossed this ‘glacial’ or ‘submerged’ island near 88' N latitude.’
  • ‘To picture the difference, start with the way geographers mark longitude and latitude on Earth's surface.’
  • ‘To get your first map, determine the latitude and longitude of the center of your new map.’
  • ‘The second and third groupings were obviously longitude and latitude coordinates.’

  Synonyms

  parallel, grid line

  View synonyms

  1. 1.1latitudesRegions, especially with reference to their temperature and distance from the equator.
     ‘temperate latitudes’
     ‘northern latitudes’
     More example sentences

     • ‘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.’
     • ‘Inter-tidal communities are most extensive in temperate latitudes.’
     • ‘As a result, there is much less interaction between the lower troposphere air masses of the polar regions and middle latitudes.’
     • ‘This is a problem particularly in towns and regions situated at high latitudes - for example northern Europe.’
     • ‘The maximum speed of rotation is a little over 1,000 mph at the equator, with speeds a bit less in temperate latitudes.’
     • ‘Thus animals able to develop in shallow bodies of water are to some extent buffered against the lower air temperature characteristic of high latitudes.’
     • ‘It is only at the highest latitudes that temperature will set additional physiologic limits.’
     • ‘When these compounds reach upper latitudes and colder temperatures, they precipitate from the air and tend to stay trapped in whatever material they settle in.’
     • ‘For temperate latitudes, it is approximately ten nautical miles.’
     • ‘In temperate latitudes, such a long period includes seasonal changes in environmental conditions.’
     • ‘In the contemporary ocean, cysts tend to be most abundant in seas of temperate latitudes.’
     • ‘For observers at temperate northern latitudes, mid-May offers the year's best chance to see Mercury.’
     • ‘As warmth gradually returns to the northern temperate latitudes, so do the birds that migrated south last autumn.’
     • ‘Warm surface water is carried from the low latitudes to the higher polar latitudes as a surface current.’
     • ‘The jump from polar to temperate latitudes is just as great as from temperate climates to tropical.’
     • ‘Warm surface water is carried from the low latitudes to the higher polar latitudes as a surface current.’
     • ‘High southern latitudes were not invaded by angiosperms until the end of the Cretaceous.’
     • ‘Further research using this approach in the high southern latitudes is underway.’

• 2mass noun Scope for freedom of action or thought.

  ‘journalists have considerable latitude in criticizing public figures’

  More example sentences

  • ‘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.’
  • ‘It has been argued that here are some basic rules that leave lots of latitude and freedom.’
  • ‘This ruling permitted the crown officers administering the book trade considerable latitude in redistributing privileges.’
  • ‘This means that the governments will be left with considerable latitude in deciding the extent of tariff they intend imposing on certain necessary imports.’
  • ‘We struck back accordingly, giving our leaders considerable latitude to punish those who live by the sword.’
  • ‘He believed in giving people lots of latitude and flexibility and independence but within parameters.’
  • ‘He gives them considerable creative latitude while saving money on behind-the-scenes functions such as legal work and product sourcing.’
  • ‘He had considerable latitude in negotiating with the Allies, and he was determined to make the best possible deal.’
  • ‘As always, we gave our jury wide latitude to adjust the program.’
  • ‘Essentially, his reading gives very wide latitude for both federal and state gun control laws.’
  • ‘Well, I think that a president should be given wide latitude.’
  • ‘Statutory language is sufficiently imprecise to permit considerable latitude in interpretation by the courts.’
  • ‘Initially, the Supreme Court interpreted them very narrowly and states were permitted considerable latitude in what they did.’
  • ‘Allow your children latitude - even to take a year off before starting college.’
  • ‘Should this occur, allow your patient latitude to express these feelings.’
  • ‘But they must be allowed more latitude to play what's immediately in front of them.’
  • ‘Do you think there will be increasing latitude to get more substantial articles published?’
  • ‘Rather, the nature of the orders themselves determines the latitude allowed in how they are carried out.’

  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

  View synonyms

  1. 2.1Photography The range of exposures for which an emulsion or printing paper will give acceptable contrast.
     ‘a film with a latitude which is outstanding’
     More example sentences

     • ‘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.’
     • ‘Film has a narrow latitude - a couple of stops - in which you can see an image.’