What is the Latin word for height?

The usual Latin words for “height” are altitūdō, excelsitās, sublīmitās; also prōcēritās, fastīgium, superus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“height” in Latin

altitūdōheight (distance from bottom to top); depth; spiritual or emotional depth excelsitāsloftiness, height, ascendency sublīmitāsheight, loftiness; sublimity prōcēritāsheight, tallness; length fastīgiumpeak, summit, top; extreme part, extremity of a thing; slope, declivity, descent superusabove, upper, higher hūcto this, to this (alone), to (only) this subject/matter; for this (alone), for this (one) thing; to/at (precisely) this

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

height

altitudo, excelsitas, sublimitas (all three PROP. and figuratively; ☞ there is no good authority for celsitas): proceritas (PROP., slimness; Vid: in HIGH, the difference of the adjectives). The height of a mountain, altitudo montis, excelsitas montis; but if “height” be = the highest point (PROP. and figuratively), the Latins express it either by fastigium (the highest point, culmination point), or with summus; e.g., the height of a mountain (its highest point), montis fastigium; mons summus. It is the height of madness, etc., extremae est dementiae, etc.: to such a height of (madness, etc.), huc or eo, with genitive (e.g., huc arrogantiae venire; eo impudentiae procedere, etc., followed by ut; scire videmini quo amentiae progressi sitis = to what a height of madness: ☞ This is common in Livy, Sall., but not found in Cic.). To such a height of perfection did rhetoric attain without art, in tam sublime fastigium sine arte venit rhetorice: to attain to the height of fortune, of glory, summam lortunam, summam gloriam consequi (☞ but altitudo fortunae, gloriae, denotes the almost unattainable height of fortune, etc.). to make the towers of an equal height, turres ad libram facere.

A height, locus editus, or editior, or superior (general term, a place that lies high): clivus (a height with a gentle ascent): tumulus (a moderate elevation in a plain, whether natural or artificial): despectus (from which there is a perpendicular view): agger (a heap made of earth, brush-wood, rubbish, etc.; a mound): heights on the mountains, montani colles: to occupy the heights, loca edita (editiora) occupare or capere.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for height?: The usual Latin words for “height” are altitūdō, excelsitās, sublīmitās; also prōcēritās, fastīgium, superus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.