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breadth - 4 dictionary results

breadth

  [bredth, bretth, breth]
Use breadth in a Sentence
–noun
1. the measure of the second largest dimension of a plane or solid figure; width.
2. an extent or piece of something of definite or full width or as measured by its width: a breadth of cloth.
3. freedom from narrowness or restraint; liberality: a person with great breadth of view.
4. size in general; extent.
5. Art. a broad or general effect due to subordination of details or nonessentials.
Origin:
1515–25; earlier bredeth, equiv. to brede breadth (ME; OE brǣdu, equiv. to brǣd-, mutated var. of brād broad + -u n. suffix) + -th1; akin to G Breite, Goth braidei

Related forms:
breadthless, adjective

Synonyms:
3. latitude, impartiality, open-mindedness. 4. scope, range, reach, compass, span.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To breadth
breadth   (brědth)   
n.  
  1. The measure or dimension from side to side; width.
  2. A piece usually produced in a standard width: a breadth of canvas.
    1. Wide range or scope: breadth of knowledge.
    2. Tolerance; broadmindedness: a jurist of great breadth and wisdom.
  4. An effect of unified, encompassing vision in an artistic composition.

[Middle English breth, from brede (on the model of length, length).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Breadth

Breadth\, n. [OE. brede, breede, whence later bredette, AS. br?du, fr. br[=a]d broad. See Broad, a.]

1. Distance from side to side of any surface or thing; measure across, or at right angles to the length; width.

2. (Fine Arts) The quality of having the colors and shadows broad and massive, and the arrangement of objects such as to avoid to great multiplicity of details, producing an impression of largeness and simple grandeur; -- called also breadth of effect.

Breadth of coloring is a prominent character in the painting of all great masters. --Weale.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : breadth
Spanish: anchura,
German: die Breite,
Japanese: 幅
More Translations »

breadth 
1523, alteration of brede "breadth," from O.E. bræd, probably by analogy with long/length.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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