Comparative form of tall, indicating greater height when comparing two or more objects, people, or structures. Used to express relative vertical dimension.
From Middle English 'tal,' possibly from Old English 'getæl' meaning 'swift' or 'prompt.' The meaning shifted from 'quick/ready' to 'high in stature' by the 14th century, with the comparative '-er' suffix added following standard English patterns.
Humans have been getting progressively taller over the past 150 years due to better nutrition and healthcare - the average person today is about 4 inches taller than their ancestors from the mid-1800s. Interestingly, this trend has plateaued in some developed countries, suggesting we may be approaching our genetic height potential.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.