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DictionarybreadthWidth
noun

breadth

BREDTH/bredθ/

The extent from one side to another.

She measures the table's breadth before deciding whether it fits through the doorway.

Two hands extend a plain measuring tape across full side-to-side width of table, simple tick marks only, no digits, clearly breadth not length.
Etymology
breadthOld Englishwidth, extent

Old English brædu named width or extent. That measurement sense survives in breadth: how far something extends from side to side.

In context

Enhanced Public Domain213:59
this Prince's dominions reached about 6,000 miles in length and from three to five in breadth
1700s Satire: Jonathan Swift - Gulliver's Travels (Audiobook)

More examples

  • We admired the breadth of his knowledge.
  • The course offers breadth rather than deep specialization.
  • The narrow bridge spans only a car's breadth.

Forms

breadth · breadths

Similar words

depth
Depth measures inward extent; figuratively it emphasizes detailed understanding rather than breadth's range.