What does high mean?
High is a versatile word used for physical elevation, degree, importance, pitch, mood, and intensity. An object may be high because it is raised above its surroundings, while a task may be high priority because it is important or urgent. The word can also describe a high temperature, a high salary, a high voice, or a person of high social standing. As an adverb, high appears in expressions such as “fly high” and “think high,” and as a noun it can refer to a peak, an elevated position, or a particularly happy state. In everyday usage, high often carries a favorable implication of status, achievement, or intensity, though it can also suggest danger or risk. Its broad range of meanings makes it useful whenever a quality or level needs to be described as notably elevated.
Extending a considerable distance upward; situated at a great elevation; or having a large degree, intensity, rank, or pitch.
"The team gave the proposal high priority."
The adjective has numerous common extensions, including high price, high standards, high voice, and high spirits.
At, to, or toward a high level or position; in a way that involves a great degree or intensity.
"The eagle soared high above the valley."
In many fixed expressions, the adverb is idiomatic rather than a literal direction.
A high point, level, or position; an unusually elevated or intense state; or a feeling of great happiness.
"The negotiations reached a high when both sides finally agreed."
The plural is used for peaks, elevated levels, or periods of exceptional happiness or intensity, especially in the expression “the highs and lows.”
"The athlete experienced several highs during the competition."
High comes from the Old English word hēah, the same ancestral root behind modern German hoch and Dutch hoog.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does high come from?
The word high comes from Old English hēah, meaning “tall,” “high,” or “elevated.” It belongs to the Proto-Germanic root *hauhaz and has cognates including German hoch and Dutch hoog. Over time, the word expanded beyond physical height to express degree, rank, emotional intensity, and pitch.
Related word forms
How high is actually used
High is widely used in both formal and informal English. It is often intensifying, as in “high priority” and “high quality,” and can describe physical elevation, emotional intensity, social rank, or sound pitch. The noun is especially common in expressions such as “on high” and “the highs and lows.”