Definition of width

The word "width" has its roots in Old English, where it was spelled "wiþþeod". This word was derived from two components: "wiþ" meaning "with" or "in company of", and "þeod" meaning "folk" or "people". In Old English, "wiþþeod" referred to a width or breadth of a crowd or multitude. Over time, the meaning of the word evolved to describe the measurement of a physical quantity, such as the width of a space, a distance, or a surface area. The Modern English spelling "width" emerged in the 14th century, and has since become a fundamental unit of measurement in various fields, including architecture, engineering, and science.