thickness
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being thick
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the dimension through an object, as opposed to length or width
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a layer of something
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a thick part
Etymology
Origin of thickness
before 900; Middle English thiknesse, Old English thicnes. See thick, -ness
Explanation
The word thickness refers to the distance between the sides of an object, or how dense and solid something feels — like the weight of a cozy blanket or the richness of a creamy soup. Thickness can refer to the physical width of an item, like the thickness of a book or a slice of bread. It can also describe the concentration of a substance, such as the thickness of paint on a wall. Thickness can even describe something’s heaviness or sturdiness, like the solid weight of a durable winter coat.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The effect was achieved simply by changing the thickness of an ultra-thin film by a few nanometers.
From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2026
Weatherhead says the thickness of the skin affects how well red light can penetrate.
From BBC • May 2, 2026
They maintained that frequently used regions of the brain received increased blood flow and that the skull’s shape and thickness were affected as a result.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
The base was rich, but it lacked the kind of body that makes a chowder feel finished: the subtle thickness, the quiet cohesion.
From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026
It was about the thickness and length of a pencil, and like most pencils it had a lot of sides to it.
From "Boy: Tales of a Childhood" by Roald Dahl
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
