triangulate

American  

[trahy-ang-gyuh-lit, -leyt, trahy-ang-gyuh-leyt] / traɪˈæŋ gyə lɪt, -ˌleɪt, traɪˈæŋ gyəˌleɪt /

adjective

1. composed of or marked with triangles.

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verb (used with object)

triangulated, triangulating

1. to make triangular.

2. to divide into triangles.

3. to survey (an area) by triangulation.

triangulate British  

verb

1. 1. to survey by the method of triangulation

   2. to calculate trigonometrically

2. to divide into triangles

3. to make triangular

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adjective

1. marked with or composed of triangles

Other Word Forms

• subtriangulate adjective
• triangulately adverb
• triangulator noun

Etymology

Origin of triangulate

1600–10; < Medieval Latin triangulātus, past participle of triangulāre to make triangles. See triangle, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

With government payroll and inflation data currently unavailable, the Fed has been triangulating conditions from private-sector trackers, state-level unemployment claims, and the Beige Book.

From Barron's

He was seen as a deft negotiator of the centre ground, triangulating his way out of the straitjacket of traditional left-right politics.

From BBC

The advent of cellular technology has made it so much easier to track where any of us have been, simply by triangulating the locations of the cell towers our phones have pinged along the way.

From Salon

We had a shared best friend — we were always triangulating.

From Los Angeles Times

This is why I always try to triangulate where I live, work and where my daughter goes to school, so I don’t have to be involved in too much traffic.

From Los Angeles Times