dimension Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun the magnitude of something in a particular direction (especially length or width or height)
noun a construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished
attribute; property.
- self-confidence is not an endearing property
noun one of three Cartesian coordinates that determine a position in space
noun magnitude or extent
proportion.
- a building of vast proportions
verb indicate the dimensions on
- These techniques permit us to dimension the human heart
verb shape or form to required dimensions

L. dimensio, fr. dimensus, p. p. of dimetiri to measure out; di- = dis- + metiri to measure: cf. F. dimension. See Measure.

Measure in a single line, as length, breadth, height, thickness, or circumference; extension; measurement; -- usually, in the plural, measure in length and breadth, or in length, breadth, and thickness; extent; size; as, the dimensions of a room, or of a ship; the dimensions of a farm, of a kingdom.
Gentlemen of more than ordinary dimensions. W. Irving.
Extent; reach; scope; importance; as, a project of large dimensions.
(Math.) The degree of manifoldness of a quantity; as, time is quantity having one dimension; volume has three dimensions, relative to extension.
(Alg.) A literal factor, as numbered in characterizing a term. The term dimensions forms with the cardinal numbers a phrase equivalent to degree with the ordinal; thus, a2b2c is a term of five dimensions, or of the fifth degree.
pl. (Phys.) The manifoldness with which the fundamental units of time, length, and mass are involved in determining the units of other physical quantities. Thus, since the unit of velocity varies directly as the unit of length and inversely as the unit of time, the dimensions of velocity are said to be length &divby; time; the dimensions of work are mass × (length)2 &divby; (time)2; the dimensions of density are mass &divby; (length)3.