distance
/ˈdɪstəns/
nounverb
Core
1.n.the property created by the space between two objects or points
2.n.a distant region
“I could see it in the distance”
3.n.size of the gap between two places
“the distance from New York to Chicago”
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distance and length share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. distance means “the property created by the space between two objects or points”. length means “the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place”. distance is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈdɪstəns/
1.n.the property created by the space between two objects or points
2.n.a distant region
“I could see it in the distance”
3.n.size of the gap between two places
“the distance from New York to Chicago”
| distance | length | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈdɪstəns/ | /ˈlɛŋkθ/ |
| Said | DI-stuhns | lengkth |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 8 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | noun |
| Senses | 8 | 5 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | none recorded | none recorded |
Full entry for distance · Full entry for length · More comparisons
/ˈlɛŋkθ/
1.n.the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
“the length of the table was 5 feet”
2.n.continuance in time
“the ceremony was of short duration”
3.n.the property of being the extent of something from beginning to end
“the editor limited the length of my article to 500 words”