cylindrical

American

[si-lin-dri-kuhl] / sɪˈlɪn drɪ kəl /

Also cylindric

adjective

of, relating to, or having the form of a cylinder.

cylindrical British

/ sɪˈlɪndrɪk, sɪˈlɪndrɪkəl /

adjective

of, shaped like, or characteristic of a cylinder

"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

Other Word Forms

cylindricality noun
cylindrically adverb
cylindricalness noun
subcylindric adjective
subcylindrical adjective

Etymology

Origin of cylindrical

1640–50; < New Latin cylindric ( us ) (< Greek kylindrikós; cylinder, -ic ) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The machines essentially grow silicon crystals into cylindrical ingots that weigh hundreds of pounds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

It’s kept in cylindrical canisters on the factory floor.

From Barron's • Nov. 7, 2025

Some decapods, like lobsters and shrimp, have a thick cylindrical abdomen with a muscular tail for snapping backwards at high speed and burrowing on the seabed.

From BBC • Oct. 17, 2025

Authorities found a black cylindrical laser pointer in the front yard of the property, and identified it as the device aimed at officers.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2025

Owen looked around at their cold, cylindrical prison.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023