alçada

Alçada is a noun used in Catalan and Portuguese with several related senses. In its most common uses, it denotes height or elevation. It can refer to physical dimensions, as in the alçada de una torre or l’alçada d’una muntanya, and it is routinely used in architecture, construction and urban planning to discuss how tall something is. The term can also appear in figurative phrases to indicate magnitude or importance.

In legal and administrative contexts, alçada designates the level or scope of authority and competence of an institution. Historically, in Iberian legal traditions, the term has been associated with higher courts or appellate jurisdiction, such as a tribunal de alçada, reflecting a higher level of decision-making. More generally, it can refer to the degree of reach or responsibility of public bodies, for example alçada administrativa or alçada fiscal, indicating the range of matters within their control.

In Catalan, as in Portuguese, alçada also carries a figurative sense related to stature or significance, though this usage is less frequent in everyday speech than the physical or jurisdictional senses. The word is typically used with explicit context to avoid ambiguity.

Etymology: alçada derives from Latin altitūdō (height, elevation) and entered the Romance languages through medieval forms, evolving into the modern Catalan and Portuguese terms for height and for levels of authority. Its core connection across senses is the idea of vertical measure or tiered scope.