four-dimensional

American  

[fawr-di-men-shuh-nl, fohr-] / ˈfɔr dɪˈmɛn ʃə nl, ˈfoʊr- /

adjective

Mathematics.

1. of a space having points, or a set having elements, which require four coordinates for their unique determination.

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four-dimensional British  

adjective

1. having or specified by four dimensions, esp the three spatial dimensions and the dimension of time

   a four-dimensional continuum

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Etymology

Origin of four-dimensional

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Because no single experimental method can fully capture the genome's four-dimensional organization, the researchers also compared the strengths and limitations of the technologies used.

From Science Daily • Jan. 8, 2026

After three months of research and development, the end result is a whimsical meal surrounded by four-dimensional art that diners can interact with, not simply observe.

From Salon • Oct. 5, 2025

So what does the optimal packing of n four-dimensional balls in four-dimensional space look like?

From Scientific American • Jun. 6, 2023

Alexander Cary, a writer and executive producer on “Homeland,” wrote this six-episode spy thriller as a leisurely, literate, three- or four-dimensional game of chess.

From New York Times • May 10, 2023

The mass of the sun curves space-time in such a way that although the earth follows a straight path in four-dimensional space-time, it appears to us to move along a circular orbit in three-dimensional space.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking