What does the Latin word longitude mean?

Longitude is defined as the “geographical angular distance east or west on the earth’s surface” or, for the directionally-challenged, left to right. Dating to the 1300s, the roots of this word literally mean both “length” or “height.” (It is derived from the Latin longitudo ” meaning “length, long duration.”)

What is the best definition of longitude?

noun. The definition of longitude is the distance on the Earth’s surface between a specific point and the prime meridian in Greenwich England, measured as a degree or the difference in time from the prime meridian.

What is the origin of latitude?

latitude (n.) late 14c., “breadth,” from Old French latitude (13c.) and directly from Latin latitudo “breadth, width, extent, size,” from lātus (adj.)

What is the root word of Equator?

To remember equator, recall the root “equa” from the Latin word aequus, meaning “equal.” An equator makes things “equal.” If you drew a line that divided a globe into two parts that were not equal, the line couldn’t be called an equator.

What is latitude and longitude meaning?

Both longitude and latitude are angles measured with the center of the earth as an origin. A longitude is an angle from the prime merdian, measured to the east (longitudes to the west are negative). Latitudes measure an angle up from the equator (latitudes to the south are negative).

What is latitude vs longitude?

The latitude specifies a location’s distance north or south of the equator. The longitude specifies the location’s distance east or west from an imaginary line connecting the North and South Poles, called the Prime Meridian.

What is latitude or longitude?

What is longitude and latitude short answer?

Latitude is an angle (defined below) which ranges from 0° at the Equator to 90° (North or South) at the poles. Lines of constant latitude, or parallels, run east–west as circles parallel to the equator. Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth’s surface.

Who came up with longitude and latitude?

Hipparchus, a Greek astronomer (190–120 BC), was the first to specify location using latitude and longitude as co-ordinates. He proposed a zero meridian passing through Rhodes.

What is the origin of the word longitude?

late 14c., “length,” from Latin longitudo “length, duration,” from longus (see long (adj.)). For origins, see latitude. longitude. A measure of relative position east or west on the Earth’s surface, given in degrees from a certain meridian, usually the prime meridian at Greenwich, England, which has a longitude of 0°.

What is the scientific name for longitude?

(lŏn′jĭ-to͞od′, -tyo͞od′, lôn′-) n. 1. Angular distance on the earth’s surface, measured east or west from the Prime Meridian at Greenwich, England, to the meridian passing through a position, expressed in degrees (or hours), minutes, and seconds. 2. Celestial longitude.

What is the meaning of East longitude?

noun distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian at 0° measured by the angle between the plane of the prime meridian and that of the meridian through the point in question, or by the corresponding time differenceSee latitude (def. 1) astronomy short for celestial longitude

How do you find the longitude?

Longitude is measured by how far a point is east (+) or west (-) of the prime meridian (which is set as Greenwich, England). The prime meridian is set at zero degrees longitude. When moving east or west, the longitude measures up to 180 degrees East or West (+ or -) of the prime meridian.