Main Entry:

¹per·pen·dic·u·lar

Pronunciation:

\ˌpər-pən-ˈdi-kyə-lər\

Function:

adjective

Etymology:

Middle English perpendiculer, from Middle French, from Latin perpendicularis, from perpendiculum plumb line, from per- + pendēre to hang — more at pendant

Date:

14th century

1 a: standing at right angles to the plane of the horizon : exactly upright b: being at right angles to a given line or plane2: extremely steep : precipitous3often capitalized : of or relating to a medieval English Gothic style of architecture in which vertical lines predominate4: relating to, uniting, or consisting of individuals of dissimilar type or on different levels

synonyms see vertical

— per·pen·dic·u·lar·i·ty \-ˌdi-kyə-ˈla-rə-tē\ noun

— per·pen·dic·u·lar·ly \-ˈdi-kyə-lər-lē\ adverb