rectangle

noun

rect·​an·​gle ˈrek-ˌtaŋ-gəl 

: a parallelogram all of whose angles are right angles

especially : one with adjacent sides of unequal length

Examples of rectangle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Embedded outside the museum's entrance, a rectangle of markers lists the 42 World War II airmen who died while training here between Nov. 15, 1942, and June 1, 1944. —Jack Schnedler, Arkansas Online, 4 Aug. 2025

The exception may be the size of the potato gnocchi, husky rectangles of creamy potato dumplings in a lemon butter sauce, circling jumbo lump crab morsels dappled with chives. —Beth D'addono, Southern Living, 4 Aug. 2025

The artwork is surrounded by a plain white section on three sides and a black rectangle spangled with white crosses, which might have indicated the threshold of a doorway. —Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2025

The former requires you to first select an area with one of the tools, such as the rectangle. —PC Magazine, 14 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin rectangulus having a right angle, from Latin rectus right + angulus angle — more at right, angle

First Known Use

circa 1560, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

rectangle

noun

rect·​an·​gle ˈrek-ˌtaŋ-gəl 

: a four-sided polygon that has four right angles and each pair of opposite sides parallel and of the same length

Etymology

from Latin rectangulus "having a right angle," from earlier Latin rectus "right" and angulus "angle"