two-dimensional

American  

[too-di-men-shuh-nl, -dahy-] / ˈtu dɪˈmɛn ʃə nl, -daɪ- /

adjective

1. having the dimensions of height and width only.

   a two-dimensional surface.

2. (of a work of art) having its elements organized in terms of a flat surface, especially emphasizing the vertical and horizontal character of the picture plane.

   the two-dimensional structure of a painting.

3. (in a literary work) shallow, unconvincing, or superficial in execution.

   a novel having two-dimensional characters.

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two-dimensional British  

adjective

1. of, having, or relating to two dimensions, usually describable in terms of length and breadth or length and height

2. lying on a plane; having an area but not enclosing any volume

3. lacking in depth, as characters in a literary work

4. (of painting or drawing) lacking the characteristics of form or depth

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Other Word Forms

• two-dimensionality noun
• two-dimensionally adverb

Etymology

Origin of two-dimensional

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

The cameras measure balls and strikes from a two-dimensional plane set in the middle of home plate.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

She is enrolled in ART 120, a two-dimensional design course worth four college credits.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

Using two-dimensional gas chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry, they detected more than 900 chemical signatures, representing both known and previously unidentified compounds.

From Science Daily • Feb. 19, 2026

The resulting exhibition features mostly two-dimensional photography but also includes multimedia works and 3D installations.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026

There, inside the game’s two-dimensional universe, life was simple: It's just you against the machine.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline