perpendicular

1 of 2

adjective

per·​pen·​dic·​u·​lar ˌpər-pən-ˈdi-kyə-lər How to pronounce perpendicular (audio)
1
a
: standing at right angles to the plane of the horizon : exactly upright
b
: being at right angles to a given line or plane
2
: extremely steep : precipitous
3
often capitalized : of or relating to a medieval English Gothic style of architecture in which vertical lines predominate
4
: relating to, uniting, or consisting of individuals of dissimilar type or on different levels
perpendicularity noun
perpendicularly adverb

perpendicular

2 of 2

noun

: a line at right angles to a line or plane (as of the horizon)
Choose the Right Synonym for perpendicular

vertical, perpendicular, plumb mean being at right angles to a base line.

vertical suggests a line or direction rising straight upward toward a zenith.

the side of the cliff is almost vertical

perpendicular may stress the straightness of a line making a right angle with any other line, not necessarily a horizontal one.

the parallel bars are perpendicular to the support posts

plumb stresses an exact verticality determined (as with a plumb line) by earth's gravity.

make sure that the wall is plumb

Examples of perpendicular in a Sentence

Adjective She lives on the street that is perpendicular to mine. river rafters staring awestruck at the canyon's nearly perpendicular cliffs
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Place your left forearm down on the couch, centered and perpendicular to your torso. Dana Santas, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024 According to National Geographic, equinoxes are when the Earth’s subsolar point (where the sun’s rays shine perpendicular to the Earth’s surface) passes through its Equator. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024 That’s where the mountains, stretching from east to west perpendicular to the storm, come in. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2024 Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Cathy Thomas, Orange County Register, 5 Feb. 2024 Tesla noted in court documents that Autopilot was not designed to reliably detect traffic moving perpendicular to a vehicle. Trisha Thadani, Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2023 Outside the great room, the heated pool and surrounding decking sit perpendicular to the house, with eastern views across Dry Creek Valley. Mark David, Robb Report, 16 Dec. 2023 In bilayer graphene, two sheets of carbon atoms stack on top of each other, creating a unique platform with tunable band gaps through the application of an electric field perpendicular to the layers. IEEE Spectrum, 30 Jan. 2024 The researchers then used a deductive algorithm to infer further properties of the triangle, such as which angles matched and which lines were perpendicular to each other. Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 17 Jan. 2024
Noun
Hold the knife perpendicular to the wedge and cut it into ¼-inch-wide pieces. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2024 The other filament perpendicular to the curve is from yet another piece of debris. Jennifer Welsh, Discover Magazine, 14 Oct. 2010 All this means is running a finesse hook directly through the center of the bait perpendicular to the body. Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024 Get into a half kneeling position with the anchor directly on your left side facing perpendicular to the line of the band. Jay Dicharry, Outside Online, 15 Sep. 2020 Most people will place their rug perpendicular to their bed; the size will often come down to the dimensions of the room and how your furniture is laid out. Kelsey Mulvey, ELLE Decor, 13 July 2023 Aim to keep your forearm perpendicular to the floor, and keep your abs and shoulder blades tight. Men's Health, 7 July 2023 Rest right elbow on floor directly below right shoulder, with right forearm perpendicular to body and palm resting on the ground. Megan Falk, Women's Health, 28 June 2023 What to Look for in Amazon Watches for Men Case Size: The case size is determined by the width of the watch perpendicular to the strap, not including the crown—the knob on the side. Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 20 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perpendicular.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English perpendiculer, from Middle French, from Latin perpendicularis, from perpendiculum plumb line, from per- + pendēre to hang — more at pendant

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1551, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of perpendicular was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near perpendicular

Cite this Entry

“Perpendicular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perpendicular. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

perpendicular

1 of 2 adjective
per·​pen·​dic·​u·​lar ˌpər-pən-ˈdik-yə-lər How to pronounce perpendicular (audio)
1
: exactly vertical or upright
2
: forming a right angle with each other or with a given line or plane
perpendicularly adverb

perpendicular

2 of 2 noun
: a perpendicular line
Etymology

Adjective

Middle English perpendiculer "exactly upright," from early French perpendiculer (same meaning), from Latin perpendicularis (same meaning), derived from per- "thoroughly" and pendēre "to hang" — related to depend, pendulum

More from Merriam-Webster on perpendicular

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