space
noun
Space — the unbounded expanse in which everything finds its place
Definition
The unlimited expanse in which everything is located; "they tested his ability to locate objects in space"; "the boundless regions of the infinite"
In depth
Space is the vast, unlimited extent within which all physical things are located, the dimension of breadth, depth, and distance that makes position and movement possible at all. Beyond physics, the word also names the felt sense of room, openness, or absence — emotional space, personal space — extending the physical concept into the psychological.
Origin
The word derives from Latin spatium, an extent, distance, or interval, originally used to describe the length of a racecourse before broadening into its modern, cosmic sense. The leap from a measured running track to the infinite expanse of the universe is one of the more dramatic semantic journeys in the language's history.
Usage examples
"Astronomers continue to map the unimaginable distances of space, certain that what they have charted is only a fraction of what exists."
"After the argument, she asked simply for space, time alone to think without the weight of his presence."
"The empty room felt larger than its actual dimensions, as though grief itself had expanded the space."
How to use it
Space is essential in both literal, physical description and emotional or relational metaphor, and writers often move fluidly between the two senses within a single passage, letting physical and psychological space echo one another.
Related concepts
Looking for a word but don't know its name?
Try the Word Finder →