Width: meaning, definitions and examples

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width

[ wɪdθ ]

Noun

Measurement

^{Context #1 | Noun}

measurement

The measurement or extent of something from side to side; the distance across something.

Synonyms

breadth, extent, span.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
width	Use when referring to the measurement of how wide something is from one side to the other. The width of the table is 90 cm. We need to check the width of the room before buying the carpet.
breadth	Applied when talking about the width of something in a more general or figurative sense, such as knowledge or experience. The breadth of her knowledge on the subject is impressive. The river has a considerable breadth at this point.
extent	Used to discuss the degree, range, or size of something, often more abstract or less precisely measured. The extent of the damage caused by the storm is still being assessed. I didn't realize the extent of his influence in the company.
span	Typically refers to the complete reach or stretch between two points, often in the context of time or physical distance. The bridge has a span of 200 meters. The project will span five years.

Examples of usage

The width of the table is 3 feet.
She measured the width of the room before buying the furniture.
The width of the river was too great to swim across.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

clothing

The measurement around the body at a specific point, such as the waist or chest.

Synonyms

circumference, girth.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
width	Use when measuring the distance from one side to the other of an object or space. What is the width of this table? The width of the river is about 200 meters
circumference	Use when referring to the distance around the edge of a circular object. The circumference of the circle is 31 4 centimeters We measured the circumference of the tree trunk
girth	Use when describing the measurement around the middle of something, often used for circular or cylindrical objects. Can have negative connotations when referring to body size. The girth of the horse was impressive His girth had increased after the holidays

Word

Description / Examples

width

Use when measuring the distance from one side to the other of an object or space.

What is the width of this table? The width of the river is about 200 meters

circumference

Use when referring to the distance around the edge of a circular object.

The circumference of the circle is 31
4 centimeters
We measured the circumference of the tree trunk

girth

Use when describing the measurement around the middle of something, often used for circular or cylindrical objects. Can have negative connotations when referring to body size.

The girth of the horse was impressive
His girth had increased after the holidays

Examples of usage

She asked for his width before tailoring the suit.
The width of the waistline was too tight for her.

^{Context #3 | Noun}

technology

The number of bits stored or transferred in a single operation.

Synonyms

bit-width, data width.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
width	General measurement of how wide something is, applicable in everyday situations, architecture, and basic geometry. The width of the table is 90 cm Measure the width of the room before buying furniture
bit-width	Specific to computer science and digital electronics, referring to the number of bits used in architecture or data paths in computing devices. The processor has a bit-width of 64 bits When designing a new application, consider the bit-width requirements
data width	Used in the context of data processing and computing, referring to the size of the data bus or the amount of data that can be processed or transferred simultaneously. The data width of this system is 16 bits A larger data width can lead to faster data processing

Word

Description / Examples

width

General measurement of how wide something is, applicable in everyday situations, architecture, and basic geometry.

The width of the table is 90 cm
Measure the width of the room before buying furniture

bit-width

Specific to computer science and digital electronics, referring to the number of bits used in architecture or data paths in computing devices.

The processor has a bit-width of 64 bits
When designing a new application, consider the bit-width requirements

data width

Used in the context of data processing and computing, referring to the size of the data bus or the amount of data that can be processed or transferred simultaneously.

The data width of this system is 16 bits
A larger data width can lead to faster data processing

Examples of usage

The computer's processing power is determined by the width of its data bus.
The width of the memory module affects the speed of data transfer.

Translations

Translations of the word "width" in other languages:

🇵🇹 largura

🇮🇳 चौड़ाई

🇩🇪 Breite

🇮🇩 lebar

🇺🇦 ширина

🇵🇱 szerokość

🇯🇵 幅 (haba)

🇫🇷 largeur

🇪🇸 anchura

🇹🇷 genişlik

🇰🇷 너비 (neobi)

🇸🇦 عرض ('ard)

🇨🇿 šířka

🇸🇰 šírka

🇨🇳 宽度 (kuāndù)

🇸🇮 širina

🇮🇸 breidd

🇰🇿 ені

🇬🇪 სიგანე (sigane)

🇦🇿 eni

🇲🇽 anchura

Etymology

The word 'width' originated from the Old English word 'widu' which meant 'extent from side to side'. It has been used in the English language since the 12th century. The concept of width has been essential in various fields such as mathematics, architecture, and technology, where measurements and distances play a crucial role.

See also: widely, widen, widening, widespread.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,417, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.

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2414 contemporary
2415 host
2416 constantly
2417 width
2418 premises
2419 gained
2420 adding
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