Distance Meaning and Definition
Distance
Pronunciation
/ˈdɪsˌtæns/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
A measure of the length of an object or space between two points, or the amount of separation between two things.
Examples
- The distance between the two cities is 300 miles.
- The distance between the Earth and the Moon is approximately 238,855 miles.
Synonyms
- Gap
- Interval
- Span
Antonyms
- Proximity
- Closeness
- Unity
Etymology
The word “distance” comes from the Old French word “distans”, which means “separation” or “distance”, from the Latin words “dis” meaning “apart” and “tans” meaning “stretching”.
Usage Notes
Distance is often used in a variety of contexts, including mathematics, physics, and everyday language. It can refer to the physical distance between two points, as well as the emotional or metaphorical distance between two people or things.
Cultural References
Distance has been referenced in popular culture, such as in the title of the 1969 song “Distance” by John Miles, and in the concept of “distance learning” in education.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
Distance is often used in idiomatic expressions, such as “cover a distance”, “distance oneself”, and “bridge the distance”.
Related Words or Phrases
- Length
- Width
- Depth
- Proximity
Collocations
- distance and space
- distance and time
- distance and proximity
Frequency of Use
Distance is a commonly used word in modern language, with an estimated frequency of use in the top 1,000 words in the English language.
Common Misspellings
- distants
- distince
- distans