Dimension definition | Dictionary.com

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Synonyms of Dimension

extent, magnitude, measure, proportion, aspect, bulk, capacity, element, height, importance, length, mass

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7 dictionary results for: Dimension

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

di·men·sion

[di-men-shuh

n, dahy-] Pronunciation Key

–noun

Mathematics.

a.	a property of space; extension in a given direction: A straight line has one dimension, a parallelogram has two dimensions, and a parallelepiped has three dimensions.

b.	the generalization of this property to spaces with curvilinear extension, as the surface of a sphere.

c.	the generalization of this property to vector spaces and to Hilbert space.

d.	the generalization of this property to fractals, which can have dimensions that are noninteger real numbers.

e.	extension in time: Space-time has three dimensions of space and one of time.

Usually, dimensions.

a.	measurement in length, width, and thickness.

b.	scope; importance: the dimensions of a problem.

3.	unit (def. 6).

4.	magnitude; size: Matter has dimension.

Topology.

a.	a magnitude that, independently or in conjunction with other such magnitudes, serves to define the location of an element within a given set, as of a point on a line, an object in a space, or an event in space-time.

b.	the number of elements in a finite basis of a given vector space.

6.	Physics. any of a set of basic kinds of quantity, as mass, length, and time, in terms of which all other kinds of quantity can be expressed; usually denoted by capital letters, with appropriate exponents, placed in brackets: The dimensions of velocity are [LT⁻¹]. Compare dimensional analysis.

7.	dimensions, Informal. the measurements of a woman's bust, waist, and hips, in that order: The chorus girl's dimensions were 38-24-36.

8.	dimension lumber.

–verb (used with object)

9.	to shape or fashion to the desired dimensions: Dimension the shelves so that they fit securely into the cabinet.

10.	to indicate the dimensions of an item, area, etc., on (a sketch or drawing).

[Origin: 1375–1425; late ME dimensioun (< AF) < L dīménsiōn- (s. of dīménsiō) a measuring, equiv. to dīméns(us) measured out (ptp. of dīmétīrī, equiv. to dī- di-² + métīrī to measure) + -iōn- -ion

]

—Related forms

di·men·sion·al, adjective

di·men·sion·al·i·ty, noun

di·men·sion·al·ly, adverb

di·men·sion·less, adjective

—Synonyms 2b. range, extent, magnitude.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

di·men·sion (dĭ-měn'shən, dī-) Pronunciation Key
n.

A measure of spatial extent, especially width, height, or length.
Extent or magnitude; scope. Often used in the plural: a problem of alarming dimensions.
Aspect; element: "He's a good newsman, and he has that extra dimension" (William S. Paley).
Mathematics
1. The least number of independent coordinates required to specify uniquely the points in a space.
2. The range of such a coordinate.
Physics A physical property, such as mass, length, time, or a combination thereof, regarded as a fundamental measure or as one of a set of fundamental measures of a physical quantity: Velocity has the dimensions of length divided by time.

tr.v. di·men·sioned, di·men·sion·ing, di·men·sions

To cut or shape to specified dimensions.
To mark with specified dimensions.

[Middle English dimensioun, from Latin dīmēnsiō, dīmēnsiōn-, extent, from dīmēnsus, past participle of dīmētīrī, to measure out : dī-, dis-, dis- + mētīrī, to measure; see mē-² in Indo-European roots.]

di·men'sion·al adj., di·men'sion·al'i·ty (-shə-nāl'ĭ-tē) n., di·men'sion·al·ly adv., di·men'sion·less adj.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
dimension

1413, from L. dimensionem (nom. dimensio), from stem of dimetri "to measure out," from dis- + metri "to measure."

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

dimension
noun
1.	the magnitude of something in a particular direction (especially length or width or height)
2.	a construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished; "self-confidence is not an endearing property" [syn: property]
3.	one of three Cartesian coordinates that determine a position in space
4.	magnitude or extent; "a building of vast proportions" [syn: proportion]
verb
1.	indicate the dimensions on; "These techniques permit us to dimension the human heart"
2.	shape or form to required dimensions

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The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

dimension (dĭ-měn'shən) Pronunciation Key

1. Any one of the three physical or spatial properties of length, area, and volume. In geometry, a point is said to have zero dimension; a figure having only length, such as a line, has one dimension; a plane or surface, two dimensions; and a figure having volume, three dimensions. The fourth dimension is often said to be time, as in the theory of General Relativity. Higher dimensions can be dealt with mathematically but cannot be represented visually.
2. The measurement of a length, width, or thickness.
A unit, such as mass, time, or charge, associated with a physical quantity and used as the basis for other measurements, such as acceleration.

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American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

dimension di·men·sion (dĭ-měn'shən, dī-)
n.

A measure of spatial extent, especially width, height, or length.
Scope or magnitude.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Dimension

Di*men"sion\, n. [L. dimensio, fr. dimensus, p. p. of dimetiri to measure out; di- = dis- + metiri to measure: cf. F. dimension. See Measure.]

1. Measure in a single line, as length, breadth, height, thickness, or circumference; extension; measurement; -- usually, in the plural, measure in length and breadth, or in length, breadth, and thickness; extent; size; as, the dimensions of a room, or of a ship; the dimensions of a farm, of a kingdom.

Gentlemen of more than ordinary dimensions. --W. Irving.

Space of dimension, extension that has length but no breadth or thickness; a straight or curved line.

Space of two dimensions, extension which has length and breadth, but no thickness; a plane or curved surface.

Space of three dimensions, extension which has length, breadth, and thickness; a solid.

Space of four dimensions, an imaginary kind of extension, which is assumed to have length, breadth, thickness, and also a fourth imaginary dimension. Space of five or six, or more dimensions is also sometimes assumed in mathematics.

2. Extent; reach; scope; importance; as, a project of large dimensions.

3. (Math.) The degree of manifoldness of a quantity; as, time is quantity having one dimension; volume has three dimensions, relative to extension.

4. (Alg.) A literal factor, as numbered in characterizing a term. The term dimensions forms with the cardinal numbers a phrase equivalent to degree with the ordinal; thus, a^2b^2c is a term of five dimensions, or of the fifth degree.

5. pl. (Phys.) The manifoldness with which the fundamental units of time, length, and mass are involved in determining the units of other physical quantities.

Note: Thus, since the unit of velocity varies directly as the unit of length and inversely as the unit of time, the dimensions of velocity are said to be length [divby] time; the dimensions of work are mass [times] (length)^2 [divby] (time)^2; the dimensions of density are mass [divby] (length)^3.

Dimension lumber, Dimension scantling, or Dimension stock (Carp.), lumber for building, etc., cut to the sizes usually in demand, or to special sizes as ordered.

Dimension stone, stone delivered from the quarry rough, but brought to such sizes as are requisite for cutting to dimensions given.

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