elevation
noun
el·e·va·tion
ˌe-lə-ˈvā-shən 
1
2
: a dancer's or an athlete's leap and seeming suspension in the air
also
: the ability to achieve an elevation
3
: an act or instance of elevating
4
: something that is elevated: such as
a
: an elevated place
b
: a swelling especially on the skin
5
: the quality or state of being elevated
6
: a geometrical drawing that depicts one vertical plane of an object or structure
Did you know?
When you're hiking, you may be interested in knowing the highest elevation you'll be reaching. Psychologists use the term "mood elevation" to mean improvement in a patient's depression, and some leg ailments require elevation of the limb, usually so that it's higher than the heart for part of each day. Elevation can also mean "promotion;" thus, a vice president may be elevated to president, or a captain may be elevated to admiral.
Examples of elevation in a Sentence
a plant species found only at higher elevations
We charted the elevations in her temperature.
Recent Examples on the Web
Melling conveys the paradoxical elevation of Colin’s low self-esteem through the subservient relationship with an appealing pluckiness.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025
In the cultural landscape of midcentury America, few transformations were as subtly seismic as the slow, sometimes reluctant, elevation of country music into the national consciousness.
—Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 15 May 2025
Bene was among those in Georgia who were dismayed by Beach’s elevation to the Treasury position.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 13 May 2025
The elevation last week of Leo, who was born Robert Francis Prevost and grew up in Chicago, has inspired merchandise makers across the U.S.
—James Barron, New York Times, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for elevation
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David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025
In the cultural landscape of midcentury America, few transformations were as subtly seismic as the slow, sometimes reluctant, elevation of country music into the national consciousness.
—Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 15 May 2025
Bene was among those in Georgia who were dismayed by Beach’s elevation to the Treasury position.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 13 May 2025
The elevation last week of Leo, who was born Robert Francis Prevost and grew up in Chicago, has inspired merchandise makers across the U.S.
—James Barron, New York Times, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for elevation
Cite this Entry
“Elevation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elevation. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
elevation
noun
el·e·va·tion
ˌel-ə-ˈvā-shən
1
a
: the height to which something is raised
b
: the height above sea level : altitude
2
: an act or instance of elevating
3
: an elevated place (as a hill)
4
: the quality or state of being elevated
Medical Definition
elevation
noun
el·e·va·tion
ˌel-ə-ˈvā-shən
1
: a swelling especially on the skin
2
: a usually abnormal increase (as in degree or amount)
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