höjd

Höjd is a Swedish noun meaning the vertical dimension of an object, the distance from its base to its top, or the distance of a point from a reference level measured vertically. In everyday language it is used for people, buildings and terrain, and it is closely related to the English terms height, altitude and elevation. The exact meaning depends on context: in geometry and design it refers to the perpendicular distance to a chosen base plane; in geography and aviation, height is often described as altitude or elevation above sea level.

Measurement and references: The most common unit is the meter, with centimeters and millimeters used for smaller scales. Height above sea level is called elevation or altitude and uses mean sea level as a reference. Height above ground level (AGL) is a frequently used alternative in aviation and construction. Instruments include rulers, tape measures and calipers for small objects, and barometers, altimeters, GPS/GNSS for larger scales.

Applications: Height is central in architecture (takhöjd or ceiling height), clothing and anatomy (body height), sports (events such as high jumping), and mapping (terrain height, mountain elevations). In statistics, the distribution of human height is often analyzed by percentiles and mean values.

Notes: The concept of höjd intersects with several related terms, reflecting different reference points and scales, from the size of a household object to the elevation of a mountain or an aircraft’s altitude.