diagonal

[ dahy-ag-uh-nl, -ag-nl ]

adjective

1. Mathematics.
   1. connecting two nonadjacent angles or vertices of a polygon or polyhedron, as a straight line.
   2. extending from one edge of a solid figure to an opposite edge, as a plane.
2. having an oblique direction.
3. having oblique lines, ridges, markings, etc.

noun

1. a diagonal line or plane.
2. virgule.
3. a diagonal row, part, pattern, etc.
4. Manège. (of a horse at a trot) the foreleg and the hind leg, diagonally opposite, which move forward simultaneously.
5. diagonal cloth.
6. Mathematics. a set of entries in a square matrix running either from upper left to lower right main diagonal, or principal diagonal or lower left to upper right secondary diagonal.
7. Chess. one of the oblique lines of squares on a chessboard:

   He advanced his bishop along the open diagonal.

diagonal

/ daɪˈæɡənəl /

adjective

1. maths connecting any two vertices that in a polygon are not adjacent and in a polyhedron are not in the same face
2. slanting; oblique
3. marked with slanting lines or patterns

noun

1. maths a diagonal line or plane
2. chess any oblique row of squares of the same colour
3. cloth marked or woven with slanting lines or patterns
4. something put, set, or drawn obliquely
5. See solidus
   another name for solidus
6. one front leg and the hind leg on the opposite side of a horse, which are on the ground together when the horse is trotting

diagonal

/ dī-ăg′ə-nəl /

Adjective

1. Connecting two nonadjacent corners in a polygon or two nonadjacent corners in a polyhedron that do not lie in the same face.

Noun

1. A diagonal line segment.

Derived Forms

• diˈagonally, adverb

Other Words From

• di·ago·nal·ly adverb
• nondi·ago·nal adjective noun
• nondi·ago·nal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of diagonal¹

First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin diagōnālis, from Greek diagṓn(ios) “from angle to angle” + Latin -ālis adjective suffix; dia-, -gon, -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of diagonal¹

C16: from Latin diagōnālis, from Greek diagōnios, from dia- + gōnia angle

Example Sentences

Basically, it gives a rough measurement of the diagonal line you could draw between the bottom left and the upper right corners.

From Popular-Science

The probability that they would guess correctly was the fraction of the area that was on the “correct” side of the diagonal dividing line.

From FiveThirtyEight

The first night, they fell asleep on a diagonal sofa, happy and warm.

From Washington Post

Pro skier Drew Petersen teamed up with Salomon TV and Switchback Entertainment to demonstrate the diagonal and A-frame ski-carry techniques.

From Outside Online

In further simulations, they varied the number of diagonals as well as their spacing and thickness to find the lattice that could sustain the most compression.

From Quanta Magazine

The young man weaves through clusters of bamboo and cuts a diagonal slash into a tree, positioning a hollow log at the end.

From The Daily Beast

But early on, his fictional people so often took the easy diagonal cut for betrayal.

From The Daily Beast

A long, diagonal cross from Marcelo saw the ball reach Hulk, who brought it down to his feet from the top of his monumental chest.

From The Daily Beast

Others were paired with sportswear-inspired tops—think a tracksuit zip-up made glam with diagonal decorative panels.

From The Daily Beast

I bought wine and I made a wine list and it was the first wine list of its kind: vertical, horizontal, and diagonal.

From The Daily Beast

The pillars are strengthened against lateral yielding by horizontal and diagonal bracing.

From Project Gutenberg

It was built at Chatham, from the design of Mr. Oliver Lang, of mahogany and on the diagonal principle.

From Project Gutenberg

Construction: diagonal principle, Dantzic oak without, horizontal planking of Italian larch.

From Project Gutenberg

At the left of the doorway, a bay window, also heavily curtained, is set into the diagonal wall.

From Project Gutenberg

At (a) the diagonal lines are used to distinguish the flat side of the neck from the round part of the bolt above it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• catty-corner
• crosswise
• oblique
• slanted