rectangular

American  

[rek-tang-gyuh-ler] / rɛkˈtæŋ gyə lər /

adjective

1. shaped like a rectangle.

2. having the base or section in the form of a rectangle.

   a rectangular pyramid.

3. having one or more right angles.

4. forming a right angle.

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rectangular British  

/ rɛkˈtæŋɡjʊlə /

adjective

1. shaped like a rectangle

2. having or relating to right angles

3. mutually perpendicular

   rectangular coordinates

4. having a base or section shaped like a rectangle

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Other Word Forms

• nonrectangular adjective
• nonrectangularity noun
• nonrectangularly adverb
• rectangularity noun
• rectangularly adverb
• rectangularness noun
• subrectangular adjective
• unrectangular adjective
• unrectangularly adverb

Etymology

Origin of rectangular

1615–25; < Medieval Latin rēctangul ( um ) rectangle + -ar ¹

Example Sentences

They run as a rectangular banner at the bottom—part of a widget that also shows news, the weather and a calendar.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

In the newest version of the detector, the metasurface that absorbs light was redesigned into a circular shape rather than a rectangular one.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2026

He had pulled a thread attached to a flat, rectangular piece of waffle-like material segregated into dozens of wonky-looking square tiles.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

One of the current show’s larger conceptual pieces, “Memorial for the Victims of Organized Religion II,” fills a corner with 48 rectangular portrait-sized photographs, all of them solid black or dark blue.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

Two rectangular tables have been pushed together in the middle of the teen section, and Luna’s already claimed a seat.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison