triangulate
Americanadjective
verb (used with object)
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to make triangular.
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to divide into triangles.
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to survey (an area) by triangulation.
verb
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to survey by the method of triangulation
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to calculate trigonometrically
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to divide into triangles
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to make triangular
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have triangulatedperfect
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has triangulatedperfect 3rd person singular
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has been triangulatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is triangulatingprogressive 3rd person singular
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triangulatessingular 3rd person
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are triangulatingprogressive
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am triangulatingprogressive 1st person singular
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triangulatingparticiple
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have been triangulatingperfect progressive
Past
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had triangulatedperfect
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was triangulatingprogressive singular
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were triangulatingprogressive plural
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triangulatedsimple
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had been triangulatingperfect progressive
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triangulatedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of triangulate
1600–10; < Medieval Latin triangulātus, past participle of triangulāre to make triangles. See triangle, -ate 1
Explanation
To triangulate is to divide into triangles or use triangles to measure something. Sometimes people triangulate to measure distance. When you use three points to measure something, you triangulate. Recognize the word triangle in triangulate? It’s no coincidence, both words come from the Latin triangulum for yes, “triangle.” When you triangulate, you make a series of triangles to measure distance or altitude. The height of a mountain and the distance to a river could both be estimated by triangulating. This type of triangulating is derived from trigonometry, which involves measuring the length and angles of triangles. You may have done that type of triangulating in math class.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Triangulate your expectations somewhere around there, and then downgrade them even lower.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2024
In 2009 he launched Triangulate, an algorithmically focused dating site.
From Slate • Mar. 2, 2023
Triangulate, and you begin to get a fix on the plight of the U.S.S.
From Time Magazine Archive
A rectilineall is either a Triangle or a Triangulate.
From The Way To Geometry by Bedwell, William
The same will fall out in a Triangulate, as here in a quadrate: For here shal be made foure triangles of equall height.
From The Way To Geometry by Bedwell, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
