amplĭtūdo, ĭnis, f. [amplus], in space, wide extent, breadth, width, amplitude, size, bulk (class., but only in prose).
I Lit.: membrorum, Varr. R. R. 2, 4, 3: simulacrum modicā amplitudine, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 49: urbis, Liv. 7, 30: oppidum stadiorum LXX. amplitudine, Plin. 6, 26, 30, § 119: platanus adolescit in amplitudinem, id. 12, 1, 3, § 7: corporis, Plin. Ep. 6, 16, 3: Apollo amplitudinis et artis eximiae, Suet. Tib. 74: margaritarum, id. Caes. 47: valli, Tac. H. 4, 22: numeri, Gell. 19, 8, 12 al.—In plur.: amplitudines bonorum, Cic. Fin. 4, 7, 18.—
II Trop.
A With gen., greatness : animi, Cic. Tusc. 2, 26, 64: harum rerum splendor, amplitudo, id. Off. 1, 20, 67: rerum gestarum, Nep. Att. 18: fortunae, Plin. praef. 3: opum, id. 3, 4, 5, § 31.—In plur.: amplitudines virtutum, Gell. 4, 9.—
B Absol. , dignity , grandeur , distinction , consequence (more general than dignitas, auctoritas, etc.; cf. Manut. ad Cic. Fam. 1, 5; Hab. Syn. 363): amplitudo est potentiae aut majestatis aut aliquarum copiarum magna abundantia, Cic. Inv. 2, 55, 166: homines, in quibus summa auctoritas est et amplitudo, id. Rosc. Am. 1: majestas est amplitudo et dignitas civitatis, id. de Or. 2, 39: ad summam amplitudinem pervenire, id. Brut. 81, 281: amplitudinem suam retinere, id. Fam. 1, 4: amplitudinem alicujus augere, Liv. 39, 48 al.—
C In rhet., copiousness and dignity of expression : in his finis est amplitudo, Cic. Inv. 2, 16 fin. , which see in full: uberi dignitas atque amplitudo est, Gell. 6, 14, 3.—Specifically: amplitudo Platonis, Cic. Or. 1 fin. , for the Gr. πλατύτης τῆς ἑρμηνείας (Diog. L. 3, 4), which is by Plin. Ep. 1, 10, more literally called Platonica latitudo. —So of metre: amplitudo dactyli ac paeonis, the fulness , richness , Quint. 9, 4, 136; cf. id. 5, 14, 30.