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Where does the word "latitude" come from? It comes from Latin latitudo, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
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Where does the word "latitude" come from? It comes from Latin latitudo, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
Latitude’s story begins in Latin: latitudo meant “breadth.” From 'latus', wide. It reached English by 1300s as latitude. Map latitudes date from the 1300s too. Today, latitude means the angular distance from the equator; freedom.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient latitudo "breadth", from 'latus', wide.
- Stage 2 · English · 1300s latitude "breadth", map latitudes date from the 1300s too.