distance
/ˈdɪstəns/·디스턴스·noun
the amount of space between two points
LatinCEFR A2
Root
Latin 'dis-' (apart) + 'stare' (to stand)
Latin distantia (a standing apart) → Old French distance → English distance (14th c.)
In a word
Latin dis- (apart) + stare (to stand). 'Standing apart' is what distance literally means. When we measure space, we ask how far apart two things 'stand' — distance (a standing apart), distant (standing far off), equidistant (standing equally apart). Distance is not an abstraction but a Latin sketch of two postures: one standing, the other standing apart.
Examples
The distance between the two cities is 300 km.
She kept her distance from him.
The lighthouse was visible from a great distance.
Related
distantdistantlyequidistantdistance-learninglong-distance