Standard Lemma guide

horizon

noun · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /həˈɹaɪ.zən/
  • California: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /həˈɹɑe.zən/
  • New-Zealand: [həˈɹɑe̯.zən]
  • CMU ARPABET: HH ER0 AY1 Z AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The visible horizontal line (in all directions) where the sky appears to meet the earth in the distance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • A tall building was visible on the whole sweep of the horizon.
  • The sky and sea seem to merge at the horizon.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: skysill, skyline

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The range or limit of one's knowledge, experience or interest; a boundary or threshold.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • Some students take a gap year after finishing high school to broaden their horizons.
  • With clinical researchers hard at work, a new treatment is on the horizon.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The range or limit of any dimension in which one exists.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A specific layer of soil, or stratum

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: geography, geology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A cultural sub-period or level within a more encompassing time period.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Topics: archaeology, history, human-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

Any level line or surface.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

The point at which a computer chess algorithm stops searching for further moves.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: board-games, chess, computer, computing, engineering, games, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

the range of interest or activity that can be anticipated

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • It is beyond the horizon of present knowledge

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: view, purview

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: scope, range, reach, orbit, compass, ambit

9

noun

Meaning 9

the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: apparent horizon, visible horizon, sensible horizon, skyline

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: line

10

noun

Meaning 10

the great circle on the celestial sphere whose plane passes through the sensible horizon and the center of the Earth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: celestial horizon

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: great circle

11

noun

Meaning 11

a specific layer or stratum of soil or subsoil in a vertical cross section of land

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: stratum

Narrower terms: soil horizon, geological horizon

History

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English orisonte, orisoun, from Middle French horizon, horizonte, from Old French orisonte, orison, via Latin horizōn, from Ancient Greek ὁρίζων (horízōn), from ὅρος (hóros, “boundary”).

Across languages

Translations

177 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: horison — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Akkadian: išid šamê — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Albanian: horizont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Albanian: lëbozë — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Albanian: lëpen — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Albanian: lëpith — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Arabic: أُفُق (ʔufuq) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Arabic: افق (ufʔ) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Armenian: հորիզոն (horizon) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Aromanian: ndzari — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Asturian: horizonte — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Aymara: chhaqachhaqa — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Azerbaijani: üfüq — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Bashkir: офоҡ (ofoq) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Belarusian: гарызо́нт (haryzónt) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Belarusian: небакра́й (njebakráj) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Bengali: দিগন্ত (digonto) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Central Bikol: sinogkaran — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Bulgarian: хоризо́нт (horizónt) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Burmese: မိုးကုပ်စက်ဝိုင်း (mui:kupcak-wuing:) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Catalan: horitzó — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Chinese Mandarin: 地平線 /地平线 (dìpíngxiàn) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Chinese Mandarin: 天際 /天际 (tiānjì) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Chinese Mandarin: 天邊 /天边 (tiānbiān) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Czech: obzor — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Czech: horizont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Danish: horisont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Dutch: horizon — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Dutch: horizont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Dutch: einder — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Dutch: kim — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Esperanto: horizonto — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Estonian: silmapiir — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Estonian: horisont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Faroese: sjónarringur — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Faroese: havsbrúgv — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Faroese: havsbrún — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Faroese: væðing — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Faroese: himinjaðari — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Finnish: horisontti — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Finnish: taivaanranta — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • French: horizon — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • French: ligne d'horizon — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Galician: horizonte — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Georgian: ჰორიზონტი (horizonṭi) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • German: Horizont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • German: Kimm — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Greek: ορίζοντας (orízontas) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ancient Greek: ὁρίζων (horízōn) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Hawaiian: pōʻailani — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Hebrew: אופק \ אֹפֶק (ófek) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Hindi: क्षितिज (kṣitij) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Hungarian: horizont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Hungarian: látóhatár — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Hungarian: láthatár — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Icelandic: sjóndeildarhringur — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Icelandic: sjónbaugur — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ido: horizonto — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Indonesian: kaki langit — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Indonesian: cakrawala — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Indonesian: horizon — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Indonesian: ufuk — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ingrian: taivaanraja — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Irish: spéire — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Italian: orizzonte — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Japanese: 地平線 (chiheisen) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Japanese: 水平線 (suiheisen) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Kalmyk: шавшлһ (şavşlğ) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Kazakh: көкжиек (kökjiek) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Khmer: ជើងមេឃ (cəəng meik) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Khmer: នភាបាទ (nĕəʼphiə baat) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Korean: 지평선 (jipyeongseon) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Korean: 수평선 (supyeongseon) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Central Kurdish: ئاسۆ (aso) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Northern Kurdish: aso — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Kyrgyz: горизонт (gorizont) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Kyrgyz: асманчет (asmancet) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Lao: ຂອບຟ້າ (khǭp fā) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Lao: ຟາກຟ້າ (fāk fā) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Latin: fīniens — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Latin: horizōn — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Latvian: horizonts — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Lithuanian: horizontas — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Low German: Kimm — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Low German: Kimming — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Macedonian: хоризо́нт (horizónt) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Malay: kaki langit — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Malay: ufuk — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Malay: horizon — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Māori: huapae — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Māori: paerangi — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Māori: taharangi — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Māori: tahatū o te rangi — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Māori: paewai o te moana — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Māori: tāhapatū o te rangi — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Māori: tauriparipa — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Māori: tāepaepatanga o te rangi — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Māori: paewai o te rangi — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Māori: taha o te rangi — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Māori: paewhenua — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Marathi: क्षितिज (kṣitij) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Middle English: orisonte — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Mongolian: тэнгэрийн хаяа (tengeriin xajaa) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Nahuatl: ahuemaniliztli — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Navajo: yákʼaashbąąh — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Norwegian Bokmål: horisont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Norwegian Bokmål: synsrand — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: horisont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: himmelbryn — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: synsrand — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Old English: ēagġemearc — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Pashto: افق (ufúq) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Dari: اُفُق (ufuq) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Iranian Persian: اُفُق (ofoġ) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Iranian Persian: کَرانِهٔ آسْمان (karâne-ye âsmân) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Plautdietsch: Horizont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Polish: horyzont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Polish: widnokrąg — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Polish: nieboskłon — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Portuguese: horizonte — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Quechua: pachapanta — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Quechua: winkumuyu — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Romanian: orizont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Romanian: zare — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Romanian: zariște — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Russian: горизо́нт (gorizónt) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Russian: небоскло́н (nebosklón) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Sanskrit: क्षितिज (kṣitija) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Sanskrit: कुज (kuja) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Scottish Gaelic: fàire — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Serbo-Croatian: хорѝзонт — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Serbo-Croatian: horìzont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Sinhalese: ක්ෂිතිජය (kṣitijaya) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Slovak: horizont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Slovak: obzor — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Slovene: obzorje — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Spanish: horizonte — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Old Spanish: oryzon — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Swedish: horisont — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Tagalog: abot-tanaw — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Tagalog: kagiliran — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Tajik: уфуқ (ufuq) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Tamil: கீழ்வானம் (kīḻvāṉam) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Tamil: அடிவானம் (aṭivāṉam) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Tamil: தொடுவான் (toṭuvāṉ) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Tamil: தொடுவானம் (toṭuvāṉam) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Tatar: офык (ofıq) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Thai: ขอบฟ้า (kɔ̀ɔp-fáa) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Turkish: ufuk — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Turkish: ufuk çizgisi — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Turkmen: gözýetim — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ukrainian: о́брій (óbrij) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ukrainian: горизо́нт (horyzónt) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ukrainian: небокра́й (nebokráj) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ukrainian: небосхи́л (nebosxýl) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ukrainian: о́вид (óvyd) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ukrainian: видноко́ло (vydnokólo) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ukrainian: виднокру́г (vydnokrúh) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ukrainian: крайне́бо (krajnébo) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ukrainian: кругови́д (kruhovýd) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ukrainian: кругозі́р (kruhozír) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ukrainian: кругогля́д (kruhohljád) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Ukrainian: виднокра́й (vydnokráj) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Urdu: اُفُق (ufuq) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Uyghur: ئۇپۇق (upuq) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Uzbek: ufq — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Vietnamese: chân trời — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Volapük: horit — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Walloon: roye do cir — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Welsh: gorwel — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Welsh: gorwelion — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Yiddish: האָריזאָנט (horizont) — line that appears to separate the Earth from the sky
  • Hungarian: látókör — knowledge range/limit
  • Malay: horizon — knowledge range/limit
  • Bulgarian: хоризо́нт (horizónt) — a specific layer of soil or strata
  • Russian: горизо́нт (gorizónt) — a specific layer of soil or strata
  • Tagalog: kagiliran — a specific layer of soil or strata
Real reading context

horizon in complete knowledge articles