two-dimensional

adjective

two-di·​men·​sion·​al ˈtü-də-ˈmen(t)-sh(ə-)nəl 

also -dī-

1

: of, relating to, or having two dimensions

The most symmetric of the two-dimensional objects is the circle, because you can rotate it any amount and reflect it over any axis through its center, and it remains exactly the same …

—Tamara M. Davis

… consider a piece of paper, a two-dimensional object. Crumple the paper up. The more tightly it's compressed, the more chaotic are its folds, and the closer the two-dimensional surface moves to becoming a three-dimensional solid.

—John Briggs and F. David Peat

2

: lacking the illusion of depth : not three-dimensional

His violent, nakedly two-dimensional art can be difficult to capture in photographs, depending as it does in great measure on knotty textures and eccentric color schemes for effect.

—Publishers Weekly

3

: lacking depth of characterization

two-dimensional characters

two-dimensionality

ˈtü-də-ˌmen(t)-shə-ˈna-lə-tē 

also -dī-

noun

plural two-dimensionalities

two-dimensionally adverb

This guide … covers thoroughly and in-depth the process of representing the human form two-dimensionally on paper.

—Heather Halliday

Examples of two-dimensional in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Advancements in understanding black holes build on holography, the idea that the two-dimensional surface of the black hole somehow captures everything about the three-dimensional space inside it. —Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026

Kagan and his colleagues showed that within minutes, neurons on microchips could learn to play Pong, the classic video game in which a player repeatedly intercepts a ball—think two-dimensional ping-pong. —Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 28 Mar. 2026

NeRF is a relatively new neural network allowing for the construction of three-dimensional images from two-dimensional ones. —Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026

These new sensors were built using two-dimensional (2D) materials known as bimetallic thiophosphates, which measure just a few atoms across. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for two-dimensional

• interventional
• nonconventional
• nondimensional
• unconventional
• unintentional
• attentional
• conventional
• dimensional
• extensional
• intensional
• intentional
• multidimensional

Kids Definition

two-dimensional

adjective

: of, relating to, or having two dimensions (as length and width)