triangulate

[ adjective trahy-ang-gyuh-lit, -leyt; verb trahy-ang-gyuh-leyt ]
See synonyms for: triangulatetriangulator on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. composed of or marked with triangles.

verb (used with object),tri·an·gu·lat·ed, tri·an·gu·lat·ing.
  1. to make triangular.

  2. to divide into triangles.

  1. to survey (an area) by triangulation.

Origin of triangulate

1
1600–10; <Medieval Latin triangulātus, past participle of triangulāre to make triangles. See triangle, -ate1

Other words from triangulate

  • tri·an·gu·la·tor, noun
  • sub·tri·an·gu·late, adjective

Words Nearby triangulate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use triangulate in a sentence

  • “I need [my team] to triangulate as many sources as possible and we then accept the most credible,” Francesco Motta said.

  • “There is no desire to triangulate or distance ourselves from Democrats,” a senior administration official said.

    Inside Obama's Tax-Cut Gamble | Howard Kurtz | December 8, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • “Obama May Have to triangulate Like Clinton If His Party Loses U.S. House,” announced a headline last week on Bloomberg.com.

    Exit Rahm. Left Turn Ahead. | Peter Beinart | October 1, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • As before of a line was made a lineate: so here in like manner of a triangle is made a triangulate.

    The Way To Geometry | Peter Ramus
  • Such is the Adscription of a triangle: The adscription of an ordinate triangulate is now to be taught.

    The Way To Geometry | Peter Ramus
  • If I had a transit, I could calculate the depth at any point where the water shows––triangulate with a vertical angle.

    Out of the Depths | Robert Ames Bennet
  • “You could triangulate at the first place where the bottom can be seen, beyond here,” suggested Genevieve.

    Out of the Depths | Robert Ames Bennet
  • And thus much of the geodesy of right lines, by the meanes of rectangled triangles: It followeth now of the triangulate.

    The Way To Geometry | Peter Ramus

British Dictionary definitions for triangulate

triangulate

verb(traɪˈæŋɡjʊˌleɪt) (tr)
    • to survey by the method of triangulation

    • to calculate trigonometrically

  1. to divide into triangles

  1. to make triangular

adjective(traɪˈæŋɡjʊlɪt, -ˌleɪt)
  1. marked with or composed of triangles

Derived forms of triangulate

  • triangulately, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012