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perpendicular - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Derived from Middle French perpendiculaire, from Old French perpendiculer, from Latin perpendiculum (“plumb line”).

perpendicular (comparative more perpendicular, superlative most perpendicular)

  1. (geometry) At or forming a right angle (to something).
    Synonyms: normal, orthogonal

    In most houses, the walls are perpendicular to the floor.

    • 2012 March, Henry Petroski, “Opening Doors”, in American Scientist‎[1], volume 100, number 2, pages 112–3:

      A doorknob of whatever roundish shape is effectively a continuum of levers, with the axis of the latching mechanism—known as the spindle—being the fulcrum about which the turning takes place. Applying a force tangential to the knob is essentially equivalent to applying one perpendicular to a radial line defining the lever.

  2. Exactly upright; extending in a straight line toward the centre of the earth, etc.
  3. Independent of or irrelevant to each other; orthogonal.

    • 2019 May 31, David M. Willis, “Wrangled”, in Dumbing of Age:

      Hey, I'm not unsabotaging anything! This is completely perpendicular sabotage!

at or forming a right angle to

perpendicular (plural perpendiculars)

  1. (geometry) A line or plane that is perpendicular to another.
  2. A device such as a plumb line that is used in making or marking a perpendicular line.
  3. (obsolete, slang) A meal eaten at a tavern bar while standing up.

line or plane

  • ⟂ (This symbol can be pronounced “perp” when used as a subscript of a letter representing a vector.)

Borrowed from Late Latin perpendiculāris, from perpendiculum.

perpendicular m or f (masculine and feminine plural perpendiculars)

  1. perpendicular

perpendicular f (plural perpendiculars)

  1. perpendicular

Borrowed from Late Latin perpendiculāris, from perpendiculum.

  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /pɨɾ.pẽ.di.kuˈlaɾ/
    • (Southern Portugal) IPA(key): /pɨɾ.pẽ.di.kuˈla.ɾi/
  • Hyphenation: per‧pen‧di‧cu‧lar

perpendicular m or f (plural perpendiculares)

  1. perpendicular

perpendicular f (plural perpendiculares)

  1. perpendicular

Borrowed from French perpendiculaire.

perpendicular f (plural perpendiculare)

  1. perpendicular

Borrowed from Late Latin perpendiculāris, from perpendiculum.

  • IPA(key): /peɾpendikuˈlaɾ/ [peɾ.pẽn̪.d̪i.kuˈlaɾ]
  • Rhymes: -aɾ
  • Syllabification: per‧pen‧di‧cu‧lar

perpendicular m or f (masculine and feminine plural perpendiculares)

  1. perpendicular