Height Is the Only One That Does Not End in -th
Height is vertical extent. Its sisters all end in -th, and height alone lost the ending centuries ago.
Height is the measurement of something from base to top. It is the odd one out in a family: *width*, *depth*, *length*, *breadth* and *strength* all keep the *-th* ending, and height once did too — Old English had *hiehthu*. The final sound shifted to a T, and the spelling followed, leaving the word looking unrelated to its own siblings.
- Vertical extent. *The height of the wall.*
- A high point. *The height of summer.*
- Heighten — to increase. *Heighten the tension.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | height | Average height. |
| Plural | heights | Dizzying heights. |
| Verb | heighten | Heighten awareness. |
| Adjective | high | A high wall. |
| Related | haughty | A haughty manner. |
How it is used in a sentence
- At the height of his career.The peak.
- Width, depth and length keep the -th.Height does not.
- Haughty means high-minded.From French *haut*, high.
Dimension nouns
- length — from long
- width — from wide
- breadth — from broad
- depth — from deep
- height — from high, but with a T
From Old English *hiehthu*, from *heah*, high. The final consonant shifted from a *th* sound to a T in northern dialects.
Why is it not *heighth*?
It once was. Old English had a *-th* ending, but the sound shifted to a T and the spelling followed.
Are high and haughty related?
Not directly. Haughty came through French *haut*, from Latin *altus*, though both mean high.