What does width mean?
Width denotes the distance or extent from one side to another, most commonly as a measurable feature of an object, surface, or space. It can describe the available room in a passage, the span of a table, or the thickness of a beam, although context determines the most appropriate comparison. In more abstract uses, width means range or scope, as in the width of someone's experience or the width of a choice. The word is related to wide, and it is related in meaning to breadth, but width more often focuses on a concrete transverse measurement. Together with length, height, and depth, width helps describe the dimensions and proportions of the world around us. It is a useful word because it combines ordinary physical description with the broader idea of space, range, and possibility.
nounThe distance or extent from one side to another, especially of a surface, object, or space. By extension, width can refer to the breadth of scope, range, or opportunity.
- The distance or extent from one side to another, especially of a surface, object, or space.
- The breadth of scope, range, or opportunity associated with a person, experience, or situation.
"The table is wide enough to accommodate the entire group comfortably."
"The river narrows to a width of less than ten metres at the bridge."
"Her years of travel gave her a remarkable width of experience."
The plural is used when referring to different measurements, as in comparing the widths of several objects. In expressions such as 'the full width of the room,' width is commonly treated as a mass noun.
"The designs are available in several different widths."
From Old English wide, width adds a suffix that turns a simple idea—how far something stretches sideways—into a precise measurement.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does width come from?
Width is an English formation based on wide, an Old English word meaning broad, extensive, or far. The noun-forming suffix -th was added to create an abstract term for the corresponding measurement, with the word attested from the early 17th century. Related words such as widen and widespread continue the same wide root while expressing extension or distribution.
How width is actually used
Width is neutral and widely used in both formal and informal contexts. For an abstract range of knowledge, experience, or opportunity, breadth is often more idiomatic.
Easily confused with width
Width usually names a measurable transverse dimension, while breadth can mean that dimension but also commonly suggests range, scope, or variety.