depth

the vertical distance below a surface; the degree to which something is deep

Noun

  1. the vertical distance below a surface; the degree to which something is deep
    • Measure the depth of the water in this part of the bay.

    Synonyms: deepness lowness

  2. the distance between the front and the back, as the depth of a drawer or closet
  3. the intensity, complexity, strength, seriousness or importance of an emotion, situation, etc.
    • The depth of her misery was apparent to everyone.
    • The depth of the crisis had been exaggerated.
    • We were impressed by the depth of her knowledge.
  4. lowness
    • the depth of a sound
  5. the total palette of available colors
  6. the property of appearing three-dimensional
    • The depth of field in this picture is amazing.
  7. the deepest part (usually of a body of water)
    • The burning ship finally sunk into the depths.
  8. a very remote part.
    • Into the depths of the jungle...
    • In the depths of the night,
  9. the most severe part
    • in the depth of the crisis
    • in the depths of winter
  10. the number of simple elements which an abstract conception or notion includes; the comprehension or content
  11. a pair of toothed wheels which work together
  12. the perpendicular distance from the chord to the farthest point of an arched surface

Origin

From Middle English depthe, from Old English *dīepþ (“depth”), from Proto-Germanic *diupiþō (“depth”), equivalent to deep + -th (abstract nominal suffix). Cognates Cognate with Scots deepth, Saterland Frisian Djüpte, West Frisian djipte (“depth; abyss, chasm”), Dutch diepte, German Low German Deepd, Luxembourgish Déift, Danish, Norwegian Bokmål dybde (“depth”), Faroese dýpd (“depth”), Icelandic dýpt, Norwegian Nynorsk djupt, dypt, and Gothic 𐌳𐌹𐌿𐍀𐌹𐌸𐌰 (diupiþa, “depth”); further to Old English diepe, German Tiefe, Icelandic dýpi, Norwegian Nynorsk djup, djupn, Swedish djup.

Forms

depths

Synonyms

abyss bottom bathos nadir

Related

deep

Derived

beyond one's depth bit depth bit-depth codepth color depth crush depth defence in depth defense in depth depth bomb depth charge depth-charge depthen depth-first search depth gauge depthie depth interview depthless depthness depth of field depth of focus depth peeling depth perception depth psychology depth-psychology