n.
- (Abbr. h) The distance from the base of something to the top.
- Elevation above a given level, as of the sun or a star above the horizon; altitude. See synonyms at elevation.
- The condition or attribute of being relatively or sufficiently high or tall.
- Stature, especially of the human body.
- The highest or uppermost point; the summit or apex.
- The highest or most advanced degree; the zenith: at the height of her career.
- The point of highest intensity; the climax: the height of a storm.
- An eminence, such as a hill or mountain. Often used in the plural.
- A high point or position.
- Obsolete. High rank, estate, or degree.
- Archaic. Loftiness of mind.
- Obsolete. Arrogance; hauteur: "He returned me a very resolute answer, and full of height" (Oliver Cromwell).
[Middle English, from Old English hēhthu, hēahthu.]
USAGE NOTE The pronunciation of height with a final (th), (hīth), which is rarely heard now, reflects the original spelling and pronunciation of the word in Old English. During the Middle English period, the (th) varied with (t), with the final (t) predominating after the 15th century. Another pronunciation, with a (th) sound coming after (t), (hītth), is often heard, but it is generally regarded as nonstandard. In a recent survey, 90 percent of the Usage Panel disapproved of this pronunciation, which probably came about by association with width, breadth, and length.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
