tiefe

Tiefe is a German noun meaning depth, defined as the distance from a surface to a lower boundary or interior point. It is used in daily language and in technical contexts to describe how far something lies beneath a reference plane. The related adjective is tief, meaning deep.

In physical contexts, Tiefe is used for measurements such as the depth of water (Wassertiefe), lakes or rivers, and depth to bedrock. Depth is typically expressed in meters or feet and measured with tools such as sonar, depth gauges, or boreholes. In geosciences, depth relates to bathymetry, which maps underwater depths.

Depth also describes perceptual or visual depth in two-dimensional media: perspective, shading, and occlusion create an impression of distance. In vision science, depth perception refers to our ability to judge how far away objects are, using cues like binocular disparity and motion parallax.

Figuratively, Tiefe denotes profundity of thought, emotion, or experience. A work of literature or music can be described as having depth when it yields multiple levels of interpretation or emotional resonance.

Other uses include terms such as tree depth (Baumtiefe) in computer science and depth in architectural or acoustic design. The word remains flexible and widely used in contexts where a relative distance to a boundary matters.