perpendicular

American  

[pur-puhn-dik-yuh-ler] / ˌpɜr pənˈdɪk yə lər /

adjective

1. vertical; straight up and down; upright.

   Synonyms:

   standing

2. Geometry. meeting a given line or surface at right angles.

3. maintaining a standing or upright position; standing up.

4. having a sharp pitch or slope; steep.

5. (initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to the last style of English Gothic architecture, prevailing from the late 14th through the early 16th century and characterized by the use of predominantly vertical tracery, an overall linear, shallow effect, and fine intricate stonework.

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noun

1. a perpendicular line or plane.

2. an instrument for indicating the vertical line from any point.

3. an upright position.

4. a sharply pitched or precipitously steep mountain face.

5. moral virtue or uprightness; rectitude.

6. Nautical. either of two lines perpendicular to the keel line, base line, or designed water line of a vessel.

perpendicular British  

/ ˌpɜːpənˌdɪkjʊˈlærɪtɪ, ˌpɜːpənˈdɪkjʊlə /

adjective

1. Also: normal.  at right angles to a horizontal plane

2. denoting, relating to, or having the style of Gothic architecture used in England during the 14th and 15th centuries, characterized by tracery having vertical lines, a four-centred arch, and fan vaulting

3. upright; vertical

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noun

1. geometry a line or plane perpendicular to another

2. any instrument used for indicating the vertical line through a given point

3. mountaineering a nearly vertical face

perpendicular Scientific  

/ pûr′pən-dĭk′yə-lər /

1. Intersecting at or forming a right angle or right angles.

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1. A line or plane that is perpendicular to a given line or plane.

Related Words

See upright.

Other Word Forms

• nonperpendicular adjective
• nonperpendicularity noun
• nonperpendicularly adverb
• perpendicularity noun
• perpendicularly adverb
• perpendicularness noun
• unperpendicular adjective
• unperpendicularly adverb

Etymology

Origin of perpendicular

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin perpendiculāris “vertical,” equivalent to perpendicul(um) “plumb line” ( perpend ², -i-, -cule ² ) + -āris -ar ¹; replacing Middle English perpendiculer(e) (adjective and adverb), from Old French perpendiculiere

Example Sentences

Tévoédjrè stood beside an armored vehicle on the perpendicular street, positioned between the oncoming column and Talon’s residence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

“This isn’t just a missing person case,” said Travis Harrison, a producer at NewsNation, which has pulled together a hovel of satellites and folding chairs in the prime real estate perpendicular to Guthrie’s address.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026

With a forkball that looked as if it was dropping perpendicular to the ground, he struck out the first two batters he faced.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 2, 2025

ANE generates an electrical voltage in a magnetic metal that is perpendicular to the magnetisation and a temperature gradient.

From Science Daily • Nov. 20, 2024

Now I had a long, taut line running perpendicular to the rover.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Related Words

• erect
• on end
• plumb