conformal

American  

[kuhn-fawr-muhl] / kənˈfɔr məl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or noting a map or transformation in which angles and scale are preserved.

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conformal British  

/ kənˈfɔːməl /

adjective

1. maths

   1. (of a transformation) preserving the angles of the depicted surface

   2. (of a parameter) relating to such a transformation

2. Also called: orthomorphic.  (of a map projection) maintaining true shape over a small area and scale in every direction

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conformal Scientific  

/ kən-fôr′məl /

1. Relating to the mapping of a surface or region onto another surface so that all angles between intersecting curves remain unchanged.

2. Relating to a map projection in which small areas are rendered with true shape.

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Etymology

Origin of conformal

First recorded in 1640–50, conformal is from the Late Latin word confōrmālis of the same shape. See con-, formal ¹

Example Sentences

Their investigation led them to a broad family of theories known as conformal field theories, and more specifically to logarithmic conformal field theories.

From Science Daily • Dec. 16, 2025

In this system, the entire region of spacetime is built out of interactions between the components of the quantum system in the conformal field theory.

From Scientific American • Jan. 18, 2022

This is accomplished by attaching a conformal piece of equipment to soldier glasses, engineered to pick up and transmit neurological responses.

From Fox News • Sep. 1, 2020

A far better solution would be to use a conformal population cartogram.

From New York Times • Oct. 18, 2016

Such surfaces are capable of a conformal representation on a plane, by which geodesics are represented by straight lines.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 6 "Geodesy" to "Geometry" by Various