erect

play

adjective \ i-ˈrekt \

Definition of erect

1 a :vertical in position; also :not spread out or decumbent

an erect plant stem

columns still erect in the ruins

b :standing up or out from the body

erect hairs

c :characterized by firm or rigid straightness in bodily posture

an erect bearing

2 archaic :directed upward

3 obsolete :alert, watchful

4 :being in a state of physiological erection

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erectly

play \i-ˈrek-(t)lē\ adverb

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erectness

play \i-ˈrek(t)-nəs\ noun

See erect defined for English-language learners

See erect defined for kids

Examples of erect in a Sentence

She sat erect, listening for her name.
a lone tree remained erect after the terrible tornado had passed

Recent Examples of erect from the Web

That is, its pretty inescapable visual of an erect penis.

— lilian min, Cosmopolitan, "Norway's Famous Penis Rock Has Been Vandalized, and the Jokes Write Themselves," 26 June 2017
Fact One: Bruce Wayne is a self-indulgent finance bro who cosplays as a bat with erect nipples.

— mehera bonner, Marie Claire, "The Only Bad Part About 'Wonder Woman' Was Batman Sliding into Her Proverbial DMs," 6 June 2017
Gen. Robert E. Lee stood erect, arms crossed over his chest, as his statue was ousted from its prominent 133-year perch in the heart of New Orleans.

— jenny jarvie, latimes.com, "New Orleans removes a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from its perch of 133 years," 19 May 2017
Some models wore headdresses of three erect feathers that called back to Prada’s Spring 2014 ready-to-wear collection—

— steff yotka, Vogue, "Prada Aims at the In-Between for Resort 2018," 7 May 2017
YESTERDAY’S WORD — RECEIPT recipe recite retie rice ripe rite epic erect cire cite creep crepe crept peer pert peter piece pier pierce price tier tierce tire tree trice trip tripe To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com.

— kathleen saxe, The Mercury News, "Word game, May 5, 2017," 5 May 2017
Asian elephants typically show distress with erect tails and flared ears; vocalizations such as trumpeting, rumbling, or roaring; and sudden defecation and urination.

— National Geographic, "Elephants Comfort Comrades During Rescue in China," 7 Nov. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'erect.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of erect

Middle English, from Latin erectus, past participle of erigere to erect, from e- + regere to lead straight, guide — more at right

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

erect Synonyms

Synonyms

perpendicular, plumb, raised, standing, stand-up, upright, upstanding, vertical

Antonyms

flat, recumbent

Related Words

elevated, lifted, upended, upraised; semierect; freestanding, stand-alone

Near Antonyms

prostrate, supine; diagonal, hanging, sagging, slant, slanted, slanting, slanty

erect

verb

Definition of erect

transitive verb

1 a (1) :to put up by the fitting together of materials or parts :build

(2) :to fix in an upright position

(3) :to cause to stand up or stand out

b archaic :to direct upward

c :to change (an image) from an inverted to a normal position

2 :to elevate in status

3 :set up, establish

4 obsolete :encourage, embolden

5 :to draw or construct (something, such as a perpendicular or figure) upon a given base

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erectable

play \i-ˈrek-tə-bəl\ adjective

See erect defined for English-language learners

Examples of erect in a Sentence

The city erected a statue in his honor.
They erected a marker over the grave.

Recent Examples of erect from the Web

And as calls to remove the statues increase, the group that helped to erect many of them is taking it personally.

— claire landsbaum, The Cut, "Daughters of the Confederacy Feel ‘Very Hurt’ by Calls to Remove Confederate Statues," 22 Aug. 2017
A new section of upper-level bleachers, which will seat 330, was erected in the southeast corner of the stadium.

— mike digiovanna, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Chargers spending 'tens of millions' to make new home NFL-ready," 10 Aug. 2017
Joan of Arc might have been able to erect an encampment in time, but Kendall Jenner?

— liesl schillinger, Town & Country, "We Are Living In The Age of Influence," 7 Aug. 2017
For while the Confederacy, as a political entity, was certainly defeated, and chattel slavery outlawed, the racist hierarchy which Lee and Davis sought to erect, lives on.

— ta-nehisi coates, The Atlantic, "The Lost Cause Rides Again," 4 Aug. 2017
Israel erected the metal detectors after Arab gunmen killed two policemen from inside the shrine earlier this month.

— Bloomberg.com, "The Latest: Israel Begins Removing Metal Detectors From Site," 24 July 2017
The government began erecting a sprawling campus in Yachay, a new science city 3 hours north of Quito, Ecuador’s capital, in Urcuquí province, and the nascent venture wooed overseas faculty with competitive salaries.

— emiliano rodríguez mega, Science | AAAS, "Plans for a research powerhouse in the Andes begin to unravel," 21 July 2017
The Boardwalk area flooded in 2008 and 2013, prompting city crews to add sandbags and pump water out of the subdivision and over a flood wall that was erected along Talcott Road.

— jennifer johnson, chicagotribune.com, "Des Plaines River flooding spares Park Ridge," 18 July 2017
In 1992, the Salem Award Foundation erected the Salem Witch Trials Memorial adjacent to the Old Burying Ground, a cemetery in town where one of the judges and some other notables are interred.

— christine woodside, Smithsonian, "The Site of the Salem Witch Trial Hangings Finally Has a Memorial," 14 July 2017

First Known Use of erect

15th century

erect Synonyms

Synonyms

pitch, put up, raise, rear, set up, upend, upraise

Antonyms

demount, disassemble, dismantle, dismember, knock down, strike, take down, tear down

Related Words

brace, buttress, prop (up), shore (up), support; boost, crane, elevate, heave, heft, heighten, hike, hoist, jack (up), lift, perk (up), pick up, up, uphold, uplift

Near Antonyms

demolish, flatten, knock down, level, raze, tear down

Other Building Terms

batten, cistern, hearth, lath, transom, wainscot

ERECT Defined for English Language Learners

erect

play

adjective

Definition of erect for English Language Learners

: straight up and down
: in a state of erection because of sexual excitement : swollen and stiff

erect

verb

Definition of erect for English Language Learners

: to build (something) by putting together materials
: to set or place (something) so that it stands up

ERECT Defined for Kids

erect

play

adjective \ i-ˈrekt \

Definition of erect for Students

:straight up and down

an erect tree

The soldiers stood erect.

Word Root of erect

The Latin word rēctus, meaning “straight” or “right,” gives us the root rect. Words from the Latin rēctus have something to do with being straight or correct. Something erect stands straight up. Something correct is right. A rectangle is a shape made of four straight lines and four right angles.

erect

verb

Definition of erect for Students

erected; erecting

1 :to put up by fitting together materials or parts

erect a tent

2 :to set or place straight up

erect a flagpole

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erector

\i-ˈrek-tər\ noun

Medical Dictionary

erect

play

adjective \ i-ˈrekt \

medical Definition of erect

1 :standing up or out from the body

erect hairs

2 :being in a state of physiological erection

Law Dictionary

erect

transitive verb

legal Definition of erect

:to give legal existence to by a formal act of authority

no new State shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other State
—U.S. Constitution art. IV

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erection

noun

Learn More about erect

See words that rhyme with erect Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for erect Spanish Central: Translation of erect Nglish: Translation of erect for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of erect for Arabic speakers

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Origin and Etymology of erect

erect Synonyms

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erect

Definition of erect

erectable

Examples of erect in a Sentence

Recent Examples of erect from the Web

First Known Use of erect

erect Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

Other Building Terms

ERECT Defined for English Language Learners

erect

Definition of erect for English Language Learners

erect

Definition of erect for English Language Learners

ERECT Defined for Kids

erect

Definition of erect for Students

Word Root of erect

erect

Definition of erect for Students

erector

Medical Dictionary

erect

medical Definition of erect

Law Dictionary

erect

legal Definition of erect

erection

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