# latitude

/ˈɫætəˌtud/ (US) · /lˈætɪtjˌuːd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/latitude
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. geographic distance

noun · CEFR B2

the distance of a place north or south of the equator, measured in degrees.

For teachers: the angular distance of a place north or south of the earth's equator, usually expressed in degrees and minutes.

- At this latitude, the sun stays up much longer during the summer months.
- The expedition struggled to determine their exact latitude after the primary navigational equipment was damaged during the storm.

### 2. freedom to act

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the freedom to choose what you do or how you do something.

For teachers: the scope or freedom of action or thought; the degree of liberty allowed within a specific framework.

- The manager gave her the latitude to solve the problem in her own way.
- The new legislation provides local authorities with considerable latitude in how they allocate funding for social housing projects.

### 3. photography exposure

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the range of light a camera can capture while still making a good picture.

For teachers: the extent to which a light-sensitive material or sensor can be over- or underexposed while still producing an acceptable image.

- This type of film has a lot of latitude, so it is easy to use in bright sun.
- Modern digital sensors offer significantly more exposure latitude than early models, allowing photographers to recover detail from deep shadows.

## Examples

- The ship's position was at a latitude of 40 degrees north.
- The manager gave her team a lot of latitude to decide how to finish the project.
- While the company maintains strict safety protocols, it allows researchers significant latitude in choosing which experimental methodologies to pursue within their specific departments.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.