Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

distance

/ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.85 in modern English

Syllables
dis-tance
IPA
/ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/
11
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

An amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Chiefly in from a distance: a place which is far away or remote; specifically (especially painting), a more remote part of a landscape or view as contrasted with the foreground.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Chiefly with a modifying word: a measure between two points or quantities; a difference, a variance.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

An interval or length of time between events.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A separation in some way other than space or time.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Synonym of length (“an extent measured along the longest dimension of an object”).

Countable; Obsolete; Uncountable

noun

A disagreement, a dispute; also, an estrangement.

Countable; Obsolete; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English distance, distaunce, destance (“disagreement, dispute; discrimination; armed conflict; hostility; trouble; space between two points; time interval”), from Anglo-Norman distance, distaunce, destance, Middle French distance, and Old French destance, destaunce, distaunce (“debate; difference, distinction; discord, quarrel; dispute; space between two points; time interval”) (modern French distance), and directly from their etymon Latin distantia (“difference, diversity; distance, remoteness; space between two points”) (whence also Late Latin distantia (“disagreement; discrepancy; gap, opening; time interval”)), from distāns (“being distant; standing apart”) + -ia (suffix forming feminine abstract nouns). Distāns is the present active participle of distō (“to be distant; to stand apart; to differ”), from dis- (prefix meaning ‘apart, asunder; in two’) + stō (“to stand”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand (up)”)). The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates * Middle Dutch distancie, distantie (modern Dutch distantie); Dutch afstand (“distance”, literally “off-stand, off-stance”) * German Distanz; German Abstand * Italian distanza * Portuguese distância * Spanish distancia

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *dews-, distance, destance, distantia, *steh₂-

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/
  • British English: /ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce distance?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/.
What does distance mean?
An amount of space between points (often geographical points), usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line.
Where does distance come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce distance

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “distance”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈdɪst(ə)n(t)s/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “distance”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “distance” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.