rectangular

adjective

rect·​an·​gu·​lar rek-ˈtaŋ-gyə-lər 

1

: shaped like a rectangle

a rectangular area

2

a

: crossing, lying, or meeting at a right angle

rectangular axes

b

: having edges, surfaces, or faces that meet at right angles : having faces or surfaces shaped like rectangles

rectangular parallelepipeds

a rectangular solid

rectangularity

(ˌ)rek-ˌtaŋ-gyə-ˈler-ə-tē 

-ˈla-rə-tē

noun

rectangularly

rek-ˈtaŋ-gyə-lər-lē 

adverb

Examples of rectangular in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cool completely and cut the cake into small rectangular strips or squares. —Kathryn Streeter, Southern Living, 17 June 2026

Its rectangular shape and excellent heat retention perfectly lends itself to lasagna and mac and cheese dishes. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 June 2026

In the Age of Sail, sailors also scoured the wooden decks with coarse sea sand and holystones – large, rectangular blocks of sandstone – to remove grim, spilled tar and rope fibers. —Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026

For a rectangular room with pictures hanging on the walls, assuming there are no columns or people to block one’s view, a single guard is theoretically sufficient. —Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rectangular

• rectangular coordinate

Rhymes for rectangular

• quadrangular
• subangular
• triangular
• angular
• subtriangular

Kids Definition

rectangular

adjective

rect·​an·​gu·​lar rek-ˈtaŋ-gyə-lər 

1

: shaped like a rectangle

a rectangular building

2

: having edges, faces, or surfaces that meet at right angles : having faces or surfaces shaped like rectangles

a rectangular solid

rectangular blocks