perpendicular — at an angle of 90° to a given line, plane, or surface; exactly upright
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: at an angle of 90° to a given line, plane, or surface; exactly upright
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌpɜːrpənˈdɪkjələr/
Example Sentences
- The leaning tower of Pisa is definitely not perpendicular to the ground.
- My yoga instructor insists that my warrior pose should be perpendicular, but I look more like a wobbly penguin.
- In geometry class, we learned to construct perpendicular bisectors.
perpendicular
ADJECTIVE[/ˌpɜːrpənˈdɪkjələr/]
at an angle of 90° to a given line, plane, or surface; exactly upright
Perfectly upright at 90 degrees
A particular perpendicular line creates something spectacular!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin perpendicularis, derived from the verb pendere meaning 'to hang' or 'to suspend'. The prefix per- (thoroughly) combined with pendere evokes the image of something hanging completely vertically under the force of gravity, establishing the geometric meaning of a line at right angles to another.
Breakdown
per- (thoroughly, completely) + pendere (to hang, suspend) + -icular (adjective suffix, resembling or relating to). The compound literally describes something that hangs straight down or is oriented at a right angle.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The leaning tower of Pisa is definitely not perpendicular to the ground.”
“My yoga instructor insists that my warrior pose should be perpendicular, but I look more like a wobbly penguin.”
“In geometry class, we learned to construct perpendicular bisectors.”
“The new building stands perpendicular to the street, creating an impressive skyline.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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