perpendicular
pronunciation
How to pronounce perpendicular in British English:
UK [ˌpɜ:pənˈdɪkjələ(r)]
How to pronounce perpendicular in American English:
US [ˌpɜrpənˈdɪkjələ(r)]
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- Noun:
- a straight line at right angles to another line
- a Gothic style in 14th and 15th century England; characterized by vertical lines and a four-centered (Tudor) arch and fan vaulting
- a cord from which a metal weight is suspended pointing directly to the earth's center of gravity; used to determine the vertical from a given point
- an extremely steep face
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- Adjective:
- intersecting at or forming right angles
- at right angles to the plane of the horizon or a base line
- extremely steep
Word Origin
- perpendicular
- perpendicular: see pendulum
- perpendicular (adj.)
- late 15c., from adverb (late 14c.), from Old French perpendiculer, from Latin perpendicularis "vertical, as a plumb line," from perpendiculum "plumb line," from perpendere "balance carefully," from per- "thoroughly" (see per) + pendere "to weigh, to hang" (see pendant). As a noun from 1570s. Related: Perpendicularly; perpendicularity.
Example
- 1. As the motorcycle goes faster , it is closer to being perpendicular to the wall .
- 2. Note that the tiangong-1 satellite appears as an arc perpendicular to the star trails above the lighthouse .
- 3. The speed with which we swing from perpendicular left through 180 degrees to the right is astonishing .
- 4. The gun director mast tilts almost perpendicular to the water , its supporting base having collapsed .
- 5. But the rods also began moving to the side , a direction perpendicular to the incoming light .