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Added 9 October 2026

breadth

/bɹɛdθ/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about breadth at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The capacity to understand a broad range of topics.
a teacher must have a breadth of knowledge of the subject
The extent of something from side to side.

Origin

From Middle English bredthe, alteration (due to nouns ending in -th: length, strength, wrength, etc.) of brede ("breadth"; see bread). Equivalent to broad + -th (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Scots bredth (“breadth”), Saterland Frisian Bratte (“breadth”), West Frisian breedte (“breadth”), Dutch breedte (“breadth”), German Low German Breddte, Breddt (“breadth”), German Breite (“breadth”), Danish bredde (“breadth”), Norwegian Bokmål bredde (“breadth”), Swedish bredd (“breadth”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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