Altura?

It's best to first explain what "Altura" means and then I'll get going with my first official post. In the mid-nineties I served an LDS mission in Portugal. As I became immersed in the language and culture, I was fascinated with words that had no direct English translation. One such case is the word, "altura," which has several different meanings. Its various definitions can refer to altitude, time, and stature, among other things. I'm having a hard time finding a good Portuguese definition online, so I found a Spanish translation of the same word:

altura [al-too’-rah]

noun

1. Height, loftiness. (f)

2. One of the three dimensions of a solid body. (f)

3. Summit of mountains. (f)

4. Altitude, the elevation of the pole or of any of the heavenly bodies. (f)

5. Exaltation of spirits. (Metaphorical)

• Estar en grande altura -> to be raised to a high degree of dignity, favor, or fortune
• Alturas -> the heavens
• Dios de las alturas -> God, the Lord of the heavens

6. (fig.) Sublimity, loftiness

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My hope is to share a few thoughts on this site that elevate and inspire, and I welcome your participation.

Oh, and Altura is also a city in Winona County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 417 at the 2000 census. All voting citizens from the city of Altura will get special posting privileges from the author.