/ depθ; NAmE / noun
MEASUREMENT
1.
[ C , U ] the distance from the top or surface to the bottom of sth :
What's the depth of the water here?
Water was found at a depth of 30 metres.
They dug down to a depth of two metres.
Many dolphins can dive to depths of 200 metres.
The oil well extended several hundreds of feet in depth .
the depth of a cut / wound / crack
2.
[ C , U ] the distance from the front to the back of sth :
The depth of the shelves is 30 centimetres.
—picture at dimension
OF FEELINGS
3.
[ U ] the strength and power of feelings :
the depth of her love
OF KNOWLEDGE
4.
[ U ] ( approving ) the quality of knowing or understanding a lot of details about sth; the ability to provide and explain these details :
a writer of great wisdom and depth
a job that doesn't require any great depth of knowledge
His ideas lack depth.
DEEPEST PART
5.
[ C , usually pl. ] the deepest, most extreme or serious part of sth :
the depths of the ocean
to live in the depths of the country (= a long way from a town)
in the depths of winter (= when it is coldest)
She was in the depths of despair
He gazed into the depths of her eyes.
Her paintings reveal hidden depths (= unknown and interesting things about her character) .
OF COLOUR
6.
[ U ] the strength of a colour :
Strong light will affect the depth of colour of your carpets and curtains.
PICTURE / PHOTOGRAPH
7.
[ U ] ( technical ) the quality in a work of art or a photograph which makes it appear not to be flat
—see also deep
•
IDIOMS
- in depth
- be out of your depth
—more at plumb verb
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from deep + -th , on the pattern of pairs such as long , length .