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Longitude: meaning, definitions and examples

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longitude

 

[ ˈlɒŋɪtjuːd ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

geographical measurement

Longitude is a geographical coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is measured in degrees, with the prime meridian at 0 degrees longitude. Longitude lines run from the North Pole to the South Pole and are used in conjunction with latitude to determine precise location.

Synonyms

geographical coordinate, meridian

Examples of usage

  • The longitude of New York City is approximately 74 degrees west.
  • To find the exact location, you need both latitude and longitude.
  • The explorers used longitude to navigate across the oceans.

Translations

Translations of the word "longitude" in other languages:

🇵🇹 longitud

🇮🇳 देशांतर

🇩🇪 Längengrad

🇮🇩 garis bujur

🇺🇦 долгота

🇵🇱 długość geograficzna

🇯🇵 経度

🇫🇷 longitude

🇪🇸 longitud

🇹🇷 boylam

🇰🇷 경도

🇸🇦 خط الطول

🇨🇿 zeměpisná délka

🇸🇰 zemepisná dĺžka

🇨🇳 经度

🇸🇮 zemljepisna dolžina

🇮🇸 lengdar

🇰🇿 бойлық

🇬🇪 გრძედა

🇦🇿 uzunluq

🇲🇽 longitud

Etymology

The term 'longitude' comes from the Latin word 'longitudo', which means 'length'. The concept of longitude has been known since ancient times, but it was the invention of the marine chronometer in the 18th century that allowed sailors to calculate their longitude accurately at sea. Before this development, mariners struggled with determining their position longitudinally while navigating. The prime meridian was established at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich in 1884, where zero degrees longitude runs, demarcating the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. This has since become a fundamental part of world geography and navigation.

Word Frequency Rank

Position #9,923 indicates this is an advanced-level word. While not essential for basic communication, it will enhance your ability to understand and create more nuanced content.