Illustration of latitude
- hemisphere marked with parallels of latitude
latitude
noun
lat·i·tude
ˈla-tə-ˌtüd 
-ˌtyüd
1
: angular distance from some specified circle or plane of reference: such as
a
: angular distance north or south from the earth's equator measured through 90 degrees
an island located at 40 degrees north latitude
b
: a region or locality as marked by its latitude
c
: angular distance of a celestial body from the ecliptic
2
: freedom of action or choice
students are allowed considerable latitude in choosing courses
3
4
archaic
: extent or distance from side to side : width
latitudinally
adverb
Examples of latitude in a Sentence
a map of the world showing lines of latitude and longitude
located at a latitude of 40 degrees north
Madrid and New York City are on nearly the same latitude.
islands located at different latitudes
We weren't given much latitude in deciding how to do the job.
The judge has wide latitude to reject evidence for the trial.
Recent Examples on the Web
Elevation is the only way to seek cooler climate conditions and balance latitude.
—
John Mariani, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
Some parts of Ryugu appear almost striped – the middle latitudes are redder, while the poles look more blue.
—Mary Magnuson, The Conversation, 13 May 2025
The company argues that the pit would qualify as a farm irrigation pond under zoning and agricultural regulations, which give wide latitude to farming operations.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 13 May 2025
As of Friday, both NASA and the European Space Agency predict the spacecraft to land somewhere between 52 N and 52 S latitude, which encompasses the majority of the northern and southern hemispheres.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for latitude
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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John Mariani, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
Some parts of Ryugu appear almost striped – the middle latitudes are redder, while the poles look more blue.
—Mary Magnuson, The Conversation, 13 May 2025
The company argues that the pit would qualify as a farm irrigation pond under zoning and agricultural regulations, which give wide latitude to farming operations.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 13 May 2025
As of Friday, both NASA and the European Space Agency predict the spacecraft to land somewhere between 52 N and 52 S latitude, which encompasses the majority of the northern and southern hemispheres.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for latitude
Cite this Entry
“Latitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/latitude. Accessed 19 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
latitude
noun
lat·i·tude
ˈlat-ə-ˌt(y)üd
1
a
: distance north or south from the equator measured in degrees
b
: a region or locality as marked by its latitude
2
: freedom from narrow restrictions
were allowed latitude in picking report topics
latitudinally
adverb
-ē
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