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

Eilish performs on a stage that’s a long gray rectangle situated in the middle of the arena floor. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 May 2026

The ball flew in, touching the top of the rectangle and turning it red. —Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026

Those worlds are stark monochromatic paintings, vast canvases slashed through with hard lines — a floor-to-ceiling column, a long tilting gangplank, an illuminated rectangle flown in at a precarious angle. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 May 2026

The remote remains unchanged, a simple black rectangle with a glossy circular navigation pad near the top. —Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026

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"