Span

/spæn/

Meaning & Definition

noun

The distance or interval between two points.

The bridge has a span of 100 meters.

An extent of time or a range of events.

The project was completed over a span of five years.

The space between two supports of a structure such as a bridge.

The span of the arch bridge can accommodate tall vehicles.

verb

To extend across a certain distance or area.

The river spans the width of the valley.

To cover or reach across a range of time or number.

Her career spans three decades in the music industry.

To stretch from one point to another.

The child's arms span the whole width of the sofa.

Middle English: from Old English 'span', of Germanic origin.

span the globe

To cover or include a vast area of the world.

span of control

The number of subordinates that a manager or supervisor can effectively control.

span a number of years

To encompass a duration of several years.

spanning

Extending across or over something.

suspend

To temporarily stop something from continuing.

spectrum

A range of different but related things.

To have a wide range of knowledge or experience.

She spans a lot of fields in her career—from engineering to art.

To involve or include various elements or aspects.

The project spans several departments in the company.