Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.
breadth — [bredθ, bretθ] n [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: brede breadth (11 19 centuries) (from Old English brAdu, from brad; BROAD1) + th (as in length)] 1.) [U and C] the distance from one side of something to the other = ↑width →↑broad, depth ↑depth, length… … Dictionary of contemporary English
breadth — breadth; breadth·en; breadth·less; breadth·rid·er; breadth·ways; hand·breadth; breadth·wise; … English syllables
breadth — [ bredθ ] noun 1. ) count or uncount the distance from one side of an object to the other: WIDTH: 5 feet in breadth 2. ) uncount the fact that something includes a wide range of different things or ideas: The aim of these changes is to give the… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
Breadth — (br[e^]dth), n. [OE. brede, breede, whence later bredette, AS. br[=ae]du, fr. br[=a]d broad. See {Broad}, a.] [1913 Webster] 1. Distance from side to side of any surface or thing; measure across, or at right angles to the length; width. [1913… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
breadth — 1520s, alteration of brede breadth, from O.E. brædu breadth, width, extent, from bræd; probably by analogy with long/length … Etymology dictionary
breadth — [bredth] n. [ME bræde < OE brædu < brad,BROAD; th by analogy with LENGTH] 1. the distance from side to side of a thing; width 2. a piece of a given and regular width [a breadth of satin] 3. lack of narrowness or of restriction [true breadth … English World dictionary
breadth — [n1] width broadness, diameter, distance across, latitude, span, spread, wideness; concept 760 breadth [n2] extent amplitude, area, compass, comprehensiveness, dimension, expanse, extensiveness, fullness, gamut, greatness, inclusiveness,… … New thesaurus
breadth — ► NOUN 1) the distance or measurement from side to side of something. 2) wide range: breadth of experience. 3) dated a piece of cloth of standard or full width. ORIGIN obsolete brede, related to BROAD(Cf. ↑broadness) … English terms dictionary
breadth — index caliber (measurement), capacity (maximum), extent, gamut, purview, range Burton s Legal Thesaurus … Law dictionary
breadth — noun 1 distance between two sides of sth PREPOSITION ▪ in breadth ▪ The pool is 15 feet in breadth. PHRASES ▪ the length and breadth of sth ▪ He … Collocations dictionary
breadth — [[t]bre̱tθ, AM bre̱dθ[/t]] 1) N UNCOUNT: oft N of n The breadth of something is the distance between its two sides. The breadth of the whole camp was 400 paces. Syn: width 2) N UNCOUNT: oft N of n The breadth of something is its quality of… … English dictionary
