angle

noun

an·​gle ˈaŋ-gəl 

plural angles

1

mathematics

a

: the figure formed by two lines extending from the same point see also acute angle, obtuse angle, right angle

b

: dihedral angle

c

: 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

2

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

3

: a sharply divergent course

The road went off at an angle.

4

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

They sheltered in an angle of the building.

angled

ˈaŋ-gəld 

adjective

Synonyms of angle

• side
• aspect
• hand

Examples of angle in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Recovery was possible, using the old technique for unreliable airspeed—lower the pitch angle of the nose, keep the wings level, and the airplane will fly as predicted—but the crew could not make sense of the situation to see their way out of it. —David Autor, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025

And designed to assist airflow into the power supply tunnel, a vent pattern that runs almost the entire length of the right side panel is visible from this angle below. —PC Magazine, 23 Aug. 2025

The camera has a 150-degree field of view, capturing a wide angle and a head-to-toe look at visitors, even from close up, and packages or other items on your welcome mat. —Maggie Horton, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025

Swim parallel to the shore and then swim back to land at an angle. —Saleen Martin, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Phrases Containing angle

• acute 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
• obtuse 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

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

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