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 plane
2 : extremely steep : precipitous
3 often capitalized : of or relating to a medieval English Gothic style of architecture in which vertical lines predominate
4 : 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