vertical

[vur-ti-kuhl]

adjective

1. being in a position or direction perpendicular to the plane of the horizon; upright; plumb.

   Antonyms: horizontal

2. of, relating to, or situated at the vertex.

3. of or relating to the cranial vertex.

4. Botany.

   1. (of a leaf ) having the blade in a perpendicular plane, so that neither of the surfaces can be called upper or lower.

   2. being in the same direction as the axis; lengthwise.

5. of, constituting, or resulting in vertical combination.

6. of or relating to a product or service from initial planning to sale.

7. of, relating to, or noting a stratified society, nation, etc.

noun

1. something vertical, as a line or plane.

2. a vertical or upright position.

3. a vertical structural member in a truss.

vertical

/ ˌvɜːtɪˈkælɪtɪ, ˈvɜːtɪkəl /

adjective

1. at right angles to the horizon; perpendicular; upright Compare horizontal

   a vertical wall

2. extending in a perpendicular direction

3. at or in the vertex or zenith; directly overhead

4. economics of or relating to associated or consecutive, though not identical, stages of industrial activity

   vertical integration

   vertical amalgamation

5. of or relating to the vertex

6. anatomy of, relating to, or situated at the top of the head (vertex)

noun

1. a vertical plane, position, or line

2. a vertical post, pillar, or other structural member

Other Word Forms

• verticality noun
• verticalness noun
• verticalism noun
• vertically adverb
• nonvertical adjective
• nonvertically adverb
• nonverticalness noun
• nonverticality noun
• subvertical adjective
• subvertically adverb
• subverticalness noun
• unvertical adjective
• unvertically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of vertical¹

First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin verticālis, equivalent to vertic- (stem of vertex ) vertex + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of vertical¹

C16: from Late Latin verticālis, from Latin _vertex

Synonym Study

See upright.

Example Sentences

Investors are willing to ascribe value to the longer-term optionality that comes with its vertical integration strategy and its leveraging of technology to grow market share.

Read more on Barron's

Their beveled corners are polished to a high glossy sheen, which creates slender vertical stripes that contrast sharply with the charcoal shadows from which they emerge.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

To enable robots to navigate fields and harvest efficiently, many farms would need to plant fruiting walls—apple trees that have been trained to grow in dense canopies against flat vertical surfaces.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“The question is, can you really drill a vertical well 17 to 19,000 foot vertical?” said Chief Executive Jay Allison.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

About 10 miles beyond the elephant seals, the raw, horizontal coastal landscape morphs into a more vertical scene and the highway begins to climb and twist.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• perpendicular 
• steep