triangulate

[ adjective trahy-ang-gyuh-lit, -leyt; verb trahy-ang-gyuh-leyt ]

/ adjective traɪˈæŋ gyə lɪt, -ˌleɪt; verb traɪˈæŋ gyəˌleɪt /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: triangulate / triangulator on Thesaurus.com

adjective

composed of or marked with triangles.

verb (used with object), tri·an·gu·lat·ed, tri·an·gu·lat·ing.

to make triangular.

to divide into triangles.

to survey (an area) by triangulation.

QUIZ

SPRINT TO THE FINISH WITH THIS OLYMPICS QUIZ!

Compete in our Olympics quiz to see if you can take home the gold medal in Olympics knowledge.

Question 1 of 10

Where was the Olympics first held?

ancient Rome

ancient Greece

ancient Persia

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of triangulate

1600–10; <Medieval Latin triangulātus, past participle of triangulāre to make triangles. See triangle, -ate¹

OTHER WORDS FROM triangulate

tri·an·gu·la·tor, nounsub·tri·an·gu·late, adjective

Words nearby triangulate

triangular bandage, triangular bone, triangular matrix, triangular muscle, triangular trade, triangulate, triangulation, triangulation station, Triangulum, Triangulum Australe, triannual

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use triangulate in a sentence

Just measure the exact arrival time of a seismic wave at three or more locations, and you can triangulate the source.
Rumbles on Mars Raise Hopes of Underground Magma Flows|Robin George Andrews|February 1, 2021|Quanta Magazine
Throughout the 1850s, Douglas triangulated between his Northern constituents and his Southern colleagues.
Mitch McConnell has repeated Stephen A. Douglas’s biggest mistake|Lauren Haumesser|January 12, 2021|Washington Post
That means the cells of the positive Grassmannian can serve as the tiles needed to triangulate the amplituhedron.
A Mathematician’s Unanticipated Journey Through the Physical World|Kevin Hartnett|December 16, 2020|Quanta Magazine
She’s also laid out a precise conjecture that predicts how many tiles are needed to triangulate any amplituhedron.
A Mathematician’s Unanticipated Journey Through the Physical World|Kevin Hartnett|December 16, 2020|Quanta Magazine

That said, the company seemed to have triangulated my potential size and gave me a couple of options to try.
You can now return Apple’s Solo Loop for a new size, without sending back the Watch|Brian Heater|September 24, 2020|TechCrunch
“I need [my team] to triangulate as many sources as possible and we then accept the most credible,” Francesco Motta said.
ISIS Fighters Are Killing Faster than Statisticians Can Count|Peter Schwartzstein|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“There is no desire to triangulate or distance ourselves from Democrats,” a senior administration official said.
Inside Obama's Tax-Cut Gamble|Howard Kurtz|December 8, 2010|DAILY BEAST
“Obama May Have to Triangulate Like Clinton If His Party Loses U.S. House,” announced a headline last week on Bloomberg.com.
Exit Rahm. Left Turn Ahead.|Peter Beinart|October 1, 2010|DAILY BEAST
As before of a line was made a lineate: so here in like manner of a triangle is made a triangulate.
The Way To Geometry|Peter Ramus
Such is the Adscription of a triangle: The adscription of an ordinate triangulate is now to be taught.
The Way To Geometry|Peter Ramus
If I had a transit, I could calculate the depth at any point where the water shows––triangulate with a vertical angle.
Out of the Depths|Robert Ames Bennet
“You could triangulate at the first place where the bottom can be seen, beyond here,” suggested Genevieve.
Out of the Depths|Robert Ames Bennet
And thus much of the geodesy of right lines, by the meanes of rectangled triangles: It followeth now of the triangulate.
The Way To Geometry|Peter Ramus

British Dictionary definitions for triangulate

triangulate

verb (traɪˈæŋɡjʊˌleɪt) (tr)

to survey by the method of triangulation
to calculate trigonometrically

to divide into triangles

to make triangular

adjective (traɪˈæŋɡjʊlɪt, -ˌleɪt)

marked with or composed of triangles

Derived forms of triangulate

triangulately, adverb

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