angle

1 of 4

noun (1)

an·​gle ˈaŋ-gəl 

1

: a corner whether constituting a projecting part or a partially enclosed space

They sheltered in an angle of the building.

2

a

: the figure formed by two lines extending from the same point

also : dihedral angle

b

: a measure of an angle or of the amount of turning necessary to bring one line or plane into coincidence with or parallel to another

3

a

: the direction from which someone or something is approached

soldiers being attacked from every angle

a football player trying to get an angle on an opponent [=approach an opponent from an effective angle]

b

: the precise viewpoint from which something is observed or considered

a camera angle

consider the question from all angles

also : the aspect seen from such an angle

discuss all angles of the question

c(1)

: a special approach, point of attack, or technique for accomplishing an objective

try a new angle

(2)

: an often improper or illicit method of obtaining advantage

a salesman always looking for an angle

4

: a sharply divergent course

The road went off at an angle.

angled

ˈaŋ-gəld 

adjective

angle

2 of 4

verb (1)

angled; angling ˈaŋ-g(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

: to turn or proceed at an angle

The road angles up the hill.

transitive verb

1

: to turn, move, or direct at an angle

slipped the key in and angled it to one side

2

: to present (something, such as a news story) from a particular or prejudiced point of view : slant

angled stories toward the newspaper's political preferences

angle

3 of 4

verb (2)

angled; angling

intransitive verb

1

: to fish with a hook

2

: to use artful means to attain an objective

angled for an invitation

Angle

4 of 4

noun (2)

An·​gle ˈaŋ-gəl 

: a member of a Germanic people that invaded England along with the Saxons and Jutes in the fifth century a.d. and merged with them to form the Anglo-Saxon peoples

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• side
• aspect
• hand

Verb (1)

• slope
• tilt

Examples of angle in a Sentence

Noun (1)

The lines are at sharp angles to each other.

Critics love the clever camera angles the director used in the film.

She took pictures of the same scene from several different angles.

The soldiers were being attacked from every angle.

We need to approach the problem from a new angle.

They considered the question from all angles.

The reporter tried to work that angle into his story.

Verb (1)

angle the camera this way and the Leaning Tower of Pisa will look straight

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Holding the strawberry in your other hand, insert the blade into the fruit at a 45 degree angle on the top of the berry just outside where the leaves are growing. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2025

Tomorrowland kitschy vibe of the film, this newest trailer emphasizes the family angle is chock-full of lots of good old-fashioned superhero action, as the quartet takes on a world-devouring cosmic being. —ArsTechnica, 25 June 2025

Verb

India, meanwhile, is angling for Trump World to exempt its economy from sectoral tariffs on autos and steel and reciprocal taxes. —William Pesek, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025

Veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett are angling for the starting position, and rookies Sanders and Dillon Gabriel are angling to also start somehow, but possibly land a third-string situation. —James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, "corner, recess, two lines extending from the same point," borrowed from Anglo-French angle, aungle, going back to Latin angulus "two lines extending from the same point, corner, nook," going back to Indo-European *h₂eng-lo-, *h₂eng-elo-, whence also Old Church Slavic ǫgŭlŭ "corner, angle," Russian úgol, genitive uglá, Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian ȕgao, ȕgla, Armenian ankiwn, and perhaps Germanic *ankula-, *ankila- ankle

Verb (1)

Middle English anglen "to meet at an angle," derivative of angle angle entry 1

Verb (2)

Middle English anglen, derivative of angel "fishhook," going back to Old English angel, ongel, going back to Germanic *angula- "hook, barb" (whence also Old Saxon angul "fishhook," Old High German, "hook, barb," Old Norse ǫngull "fishhook"), going back to Indo-European *h₂enk-ul-ó-, derivative, perhaps diminutive, of a base *h₂enk- seen also in the n-stem noun *h₂enk-ón- (whence Old English anga "prick, goad," Old High German ango "sting, barb, door hinge," Greek ankṓn "bend, elbow"), suffixed in Greek ankýlos "bent, crooked, curved," and as an o-grade derivative in Greek ónkos "barb of an arrow," Latin uncus "curved at the extremities, hooked, a hook," and probably Sanskrit aṅkáḥ "curve, hook"; *h₂enk- perhaps attested as a primary verb in Sanskrit áñcati, ácati "(it) bends, curves"

Note: Indo-European *h₂enk- appears to be synonymous with the base *h₂eng- —see angle entry 1, ankle.

Noun (2)

Latin Angli, plural, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English Engle Angles

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing angle

• alternate angle
• angle bracket
• angle iron
• angle of attack
• angle of depression
• angle of elevation
• angle of incidence
• angle of reflection
• angle of refraction
• angle shot
• base angle
• central angle
• critical angle
• dihedral angle
• direction angle
• exterior angle
• face angle
• hour angle
• interior angle
• oblique angle
• plane angle
• polyhedral angle
• rakish angle
• right angle
• round angle
• solid angle
• spherical angle
• straight angle
• supplementary angle
• vertical angle
• wide-angle
• wide-angle lens

Rhymes for angle

• bangle
• dangle
• jangle
• mangle
• strangle
• tangle
• wrangle
• disentangle
• entangle
• quadrangle
• triangle
• untangle

Kids Definition

angle

1 of 3 noun

an·​gle ˈaŋ-gəl 

1

: a sharp projecting corner

2

: the figure formed by two lines extending from the same point

3

: a measure of the amount that one line of an angle would have to be turned to be in exactly the same place as the other line

a 90-degree angle

4

: point of view, aspect

consider a problem from a new angle

5

: an often improper way of getting an advantage

a cheater looking for an angle

6

: a sharply curving course or direction

the road went off at an angle

angled

-gəld 

adjective

angle

2 of 3 verb

angled; angling -g(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to turn, move, or direct at an angle

2

: to present (as a news story) from a particular point of view : slant

angle

3 of 3 verb

angled; angling -g(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to fish with hook and line

2

: to try to get what one wants in a sly way

angling for a promotion

Etymology

Noun

Middle English angle "corner," from early French angle (same meaning), from Latin angulus "angle"

Verb

derived from Old English angel "fishhook," from anga "hook"

Medical Definition

angle

noun

an·​gle ˈaŋ-gəl 

1

: a corner whether constituting a projecting part or a partially enclosed space

2

a

: the figure formed by two lines extending from the same point

b

: a measure of an angle or of the amount of turning necessary to bring one line or plane into coincidence with or parallel to another

angled

-gəld 

adjective