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Breadth vs Span - What's the difference?

breadth | span | Synonyms |

Breadth is a synonym of span.


As a noun breadth

is the extent or measure of how broad or wide something is.

As an adjective span is

hairless, glabrous.

breadth

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • The extent or measure of how broad or wide something is.
  • A piece of fabric of standard width.
  • Scope or range, especially of knowledge or skill.
  • (math) (graph theory ) the length of the longest path between two vertices on a graph
  • Synonyms

    * (extent or measure of how broad something is) width * (piece of fabric of standard width) * (scope or range) extent, range, scope, size

    Derived terms

    * acre breadth * bizygomatic breadth * breadth of accommodation * breadthen * breadth-first search * breadth-first traversal * breadth-height index * breadth index * breadth indicator * breadthless * breadth-line * breadth of effect * breadth of market * breadth-of-market theory * breadth of mind * breadth of the market * breadth of tone * breadth-riders * breadthways * breadthwise * curve of constant breadth * finger-breadth, fingerbreadth * finger's breadth * foot-breadth, footbreadth * hairbreadth * hair's breadth, hairsbreadth * handbreadth, hand's breadth, handsbreadth * index of breadth * straw-breadth, straw's breadth

    span

    English

    Etymology 1

    (etyl) spann

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The space from the thumb to the end of the little finger when extended; nine inches; eighth of a fathom.
  • Hence, a small space or a brief portion of time.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Yet not to earth's contracted span / Thy goodness let me bound.
  • * Farquhar
  • Life's but a span ; I'll every inch enjoy.
  • * 2007 . Zerzan, John. Silence .
  • The unsilent present is a time of evaporating attention spans ,
  • The spread or extent of an arch or between its abutments, or of a beam, girder, truss, roof, bridge, or the like, between supports.
  • The length of a cable, wire, rope, chain between two consecutive supports.
  • (nautical) A rope having its ends made fast so that a purchase can be hooked to the bight; also, a rope made fast in the center so that both ends can be used.
  • (obsolete) A pair of horses or other animals driven together; usually, such a pair of horses when similar in color, form, and action.
  • (mathematics) the space of all linear combinations of something
  • Etymology 2

    Old English spannan

    Verb

    (spann)
  • To traverse the distance between.
  • The suspension bridge spanned the canyon as tenuously as one could imagine.
  • To cover or extend over an area or time period.
  • The parking lot spans three acres.
    The novel spans three centuries.
    World record! 5 GHz WiFi connection spans 189 miles. [http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/27/world-record-5ghz-wifi-connection-spans-189-miles/]
  • * Prescott
  • The rivers were spanned by arches of solid masonry.
  • To measure by the span of the hand with the fingers extended, or with the fingers encompassing the object.
  • to span''' a space or distance; to '''span a cylinder
  • * Bible, Isa. xiviii. 13
  • My right hand hath spanned the heavens.
  • (mathematics) to generate an entire space by means of linear combinations
  • (intransitive, US, dated) To be matched, as horses.
  • To fetter, as a horse; to hobble.
  • Etymology 3

    Verb

    (head)
  • (archaic, nonstandard) (spin)
  • *
  • * '>citation
  • *:a giant pick-up truck span out of control during a stunt show in a Dutch town, killing three people