high-level

UK: ˌhaɪ ˈlev.əl | US: ˌhaɪ ˈlev.əl

Definition

  1. adj. involving or relating to people or decisions at the top of an organization or system

  2. adj. advanced or complex in nature

  3. adj. (computing) describing programming languages or concepts abstracted from machine details

Structure
high <elevated>level <layer, tier>
Etymology

The compound "high-level" combines "high" (Old English hēah, meaning "of great vertical extent") and "level" (Old French livel, from Latin libella, "a balance, tool for measuring horizontality"). Originally literal (e.g., "high-level terrain"), it evolved metaphorically by the 19th century to denote hierarchical superiority (e.g., "high-level negotiations") and later technical abstraction (20th-century computing). The pairing reflects a spatial metaphor for importance or complexity.

Examples

  1. The CEOs attended a high-level meeting to discuss the merger.

  2. Python is a high-level programming language favored for its readability.

  3. The report summarizes high-level findings without technical details.

  4. High-level diplomatic talks resolved the border dispute.

  5. Her high-level understanding of physics impressed the professors.