In geometric measurements, length most commonly refers to the longest dimension of an object.
In certain contexts, the term "length" is reserved for a certain dimension of an object along which the length is measured. For example it is possible to cut a length of a wire which is shorter than wire thickness. Another example is FET transistors, in which the channel width may be larger than channel length.
Length may be distinguished from height, which is vertical extent, and width or breadth, which are the distance from side to side, measuring across the object at right angles to the length.
Length is a measure of one dimension, whereas area is a measure of two dimensions (length squared) and volume is a measure of three dimensions (length cubed). In most systems of measurement, the unit of length is a fundamental unit, from which other units are defined.
Other articles related to "length, lengths":
... The average length of the human tongue from the oropharynx to the tip is 10 cm (4 in). ...
... when one speaks of "units of length", the word "length" is synonymous with "distance" ... There are several units that are used to measure length ... Units of length may be based on lengths of human body parts, the distance travelled in a number of paces, the distance between landmarks or places on the Earth, or arbitrarily on the ...
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