depth

From Middle English depthe, from Old English *dīepþ (“depth”), from Proto-Germanic *diupiþō (“depth”), equivalent to deep +‎ -th. Cognate with Scots deepth (“depth”), Saterland Frisian Djüpte (“depth”), West Frisian djipte (“depth”), Dutch diepte (“depth”), Low German Deepde (“depth”), Danish dybde (“depth”), Icelandic dýpt (“depth”), Gothic 𐌳𐌹𐌿𐍀𐌹𐌸𐌰 (diupiþa, “depth”).

• IPA^(key): /dɛpθ/

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• Rhymes: -ɛpθ

depth (countable and uncountable, plural depths)

1. the vertical distance below a surface; the degree to which something is deep

   Measure the depth of the water in this part of the bay.

   Synonyms: deepness, lowness

2. the distance between the front and the back, as the depth of a drawer or closet
3. (figuratively) the intensity, complexity, strength, seriousness or importance of an emotion, situation, etc.

   The depth of her misery was apparent to everyone.

   The depth of the crisis had been exaggerated.

   We were impressed by the depth of her knowledge.

4. lowness

   the depth of a sound

5. (computing, colors) the total palette of available colors
6. (art, photography) the property of appearing three-dimensional

   The depth of field in this picture is amazing.

7. (literary, usually in the plural) the deepest part (usually of a body of water)

   The burning ship finally sunk into the depths.

8. (literary, usually in the plural) a very remote part.

   Into the depths of the jungle...

   In the depths of the night,

9. the most severe part

   in the depth of the crisis

   in the depths of winter

10. (logic) the number of simple elements which an abstract conception or notion includes; the comprehension or content
11. (horology) a pair of toothed wheels which work together
12. (aeronautics) the perpendicular distance from the chord to the farthest point of an arched surface
13. (statistics) the lower of the two ranks of a value in an ordered set of values

1. (cryptography) A set of more than one ciphertext enciphered with the same key.
2. (algebra, ring theory) An invariant of rings and modules, encoding information about dimensionality; see Depth (ring theory).

• (deep place): abyss, bottom, bathos, nadir