perpendicular

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

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌpɜː.pənˈdɪk.jə.lə(ɹ)/ enPR: pû"pəndĭ'kyələ(r),
• (US) IPA^(key): /pɝ.pɛnˈdɪk.ju.lɚ/, /pɝ.pənˈdɪk.jə.lɚ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪkjʊlə(ɹ)

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!

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.

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

Borrowed from Late Latin perpendiculāris, from perpendiculum.

• IPA^(key): (Central) [pər.pən.di.kuˈlar]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [pər.pən.di.kuˈla]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [peɾ.pen.di.kuˈlaɾ]

perpendicular m or f (masculine and feminine plural perpendiculars)

1. perpendicular

• perpendicularment

perpendicular f (plural perpendiculars)

1. perpendicular

• “perpendicular”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “perpendicular”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
• “perpendicular” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “perpendicular” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Borrowed from Late Latin perpendiculāris, from perpendiculum.

• 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

• “perpendicular”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024