# longitude

/ˈɫɑndʒəˌtud/ (US) · /lˈɒndʒɪtjˌuːd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/longitude
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. geographic coordinate

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the distance east or west of the prime meridian, measured in degrees.

For teachers: the angular distance of a place east or west of the meridian at Greenwich, England, or west of the standard meridian of a celestial object.

- The captain checked the ship's longitude to see how far they had traveled across the ocean.
- Determining precise longitude at sea remained a significant challenge for navigators until the invention of the marine chronometer in the eighteenth century.

Usage: Usually paired with latitude to provide a specific location.

### 2. imaginary line

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

an imaginary line on a map that goes from the top of the Earth to the bottom.

For teachers: any of the imaginary great circles passing through the North and South Poles, perpendicular to the equator.

- Lines of longitude are closer together near the poles than they are at the equator.
- The cartographer drew the lines of longitude at fifteen-degree intervals to represent the different time zones across the globe.

### 3. length

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

an old word for the length of something.

For teachers: the linear extent or length of an object along its greatest dimension.

- The old scrolls described the longitude of the temple walls in ancient units.
- In the seventeenth-century manuscript, the architect specified the longitude of the gallery as being twice its breadth.

## Examples

- The ship's captain checked the longitude on the map.
- To find the exact location of the island, you need to know both its latitude and its longitude.
- Historically, determining longitude at sea was a significant challenge for navigators until the invention of the marine chronometer allowed for precise timekeeping relative to a reference meridian.

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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.