Plain English Meaning

WGS-84 is the agreed-upon map of the Earth that GPS uses. It tells the system exactly what shape the Earth is and how to measure positions on it, so that every GPS receiver and every chart speaks the same coordinate language.

Full Definition

WGS-84 is the global reference system used by GPS to define positions on Earth. It specifies a mathematical model of the Earth's shape (a reference ellipsoid), a fixed coordinate system tied to the Earth's center, and a standard way of expressing latitude, longitude, and altitude. All GPS-derived positions and aeronautical charts used for GPS navigation are based on this single, worldwide standard.

Context Anchor

You see WGS-84 in GPS navigation, database, and chart-coordinate discussions, especially when making sure a stored matches what the GPS is using.