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latitude
latitude angular distance of any point on the surface of the earth north or south of the equator. The equator is latitude 0°, and the North Pole and South Pole are latitudes 90°N and 90°S, respectively. The length of one degree of latitude averages about 69 mi (110 km); it increases slightly from the equator to the poles as a result of the earth's polar flattening. Latitude is commonly determined by means of a sextant or other instrument that measures the angle between the horizon and the sun or another celestial body, such as the North Star (see Polaris ). The latitude is then found by means of tables that give the position of the sun and other bodies for that date and hour. An imaginary line on the earth's surface connecting all points equidistant from the equator (and thus at the same latitude) is called a parallel of latitude. On most globes and maps parallels are usually shown in multiples of 5°. Because of their special meanings, four fractional parallels are also shown. These are the Tropic of Cancer (23 1/2 °N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23 1/2 °S), marking the farthest points north and south of the equator where the sun's rays fall vertically (see tropics ), and the Arctic Circle (66 1/2 °N) and the Antarctic Circle (66 1/2 °S), marking the farthest points north and south of the equator where the sun appears above the horizon each day of the year (see also midnight sun ). Parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude together form a grid by which any point on the earth's surface can be specified. The term latitude is also used in various celestial coordinate systems (see ecliptic coordinate system ). |
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"latitude." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "latitude." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-latitude.html "latitude." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-latitude.html |
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latitude
lat·i·tude / ˈlatəˌt(y)oōd/ • n. 1. the angular distance of a place north or south of the earth's equator, or of a celestial object north or south of the celestial equator, usually expressed in degrees and minutes: at a latitude of 51° N lines of latitude. ∎ (latitudes) regions, esp. with reference to their temperature and distance from the equator: temperate latitudes northern latitudes. ∎ Astron. see celestial latitude. 2. scope for freedom of action or thought: journalists have considerable latitude in criticizing public figures. ∎ Photog. the range of exposures for which an emulsion or printing paper will give acceptable contrast: a film with a latitude that is outstanding. DERIVATIVES: lat·i·tu·di·nal / ˌlatəˈt(y)oōdn-əl/ adj. lat·i·tu·di·nal·ly / ˌlatəˈt(y)oōdn-əlē/ adv. |
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"latitude." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "latitude." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-latitude.html "latitude." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-latitude.html |
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latitude
latitude, from the Latin latitudo, breadth, one of the two spherical coordinates used to describe a terrestrial position, the other being longitude. The latitude of a point on the earth's surface will be the angular measure between that point and the plane of the equator along the meridian on which the point is located. This is equivalent to the corresponding angle at the earth's centre. The earth's shape, however, is not an exact sphere so that these two angles do not coincide exactly except for points on the equator (latitude 0° or 90°). Geographical latitude is equivalent to the true altitude of the elevated celestial pole. See also nautical mile.
Mike Richey |
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"latitude." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "latitude." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-latitude.html "latitude." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-latitude.html |
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latitude
latitude †breadth; angular distance on a meridian, etc. XIV; (arch.) extent, scope XVI; freedom from restriction XVII. — L. lātitūdō, f. lātus broad; see -TUDE. The geographical applications of L. latitudo and longitudo orig. referred to the ‘breadth’ and ‘length’ of the oblong map of the known world.
Hence latitudinal, latitudinarian XVII. |
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T. F. HOAD. "latitude." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "latitude." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-latitude.html T. F. HOAD. "latitude." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-latitude.html |
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latitude
latitude The angle north or south of some reference plane. In astronomy, the equivalent of terrestrial latitude is termed declination. See also celestial latitude; galactic latitude; heliocentric latitude.
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"latitude." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "latitude." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-latitude.html "latitude." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-latitude.html |
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latitude
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"latitude." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "latitude." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-latitude.html "latitude." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-latitude.html |
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latitude
latitude •allude, brood, collude, conclude, crude, delude, dude, elude, étude, exclude, extrude, exude, feud, food, illude, include, intrude, Jude, lewd, mood, nude, obtrude, occlude, Oudh, preclude, protrude, prude, pseud, pultrude, rood, rude, seclude, shrewd, snood, transude, unglued, unsubdued, who'd, you'd
•habitude
•magnitude • seafood • wholefood
•Quaalude • postlude • interlude
•Ermintrude • Gertrude • unvalued
•prelude • quietude • hebetude
•longitude • amplitude
•similitude, verisimilitude
•solitude • plenitude • finitude
•decrepitude • turpitude • pulchritude
•crassitude, lassitude
•solicitude, vicissitude
•attitude, beatitude, gratitude, latitude, platitude
•exactitude • sanctitude • aptitude
•rectitude • ineptitude • promptitude
•fortitude • multitude • certitude
•servitude • consuetude
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"latitude." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "latitude." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-latitude.html "latitude." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-latitude.html |
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