WordGarden.ioperpendicular
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /pˌɜːpəndˈɪkjʊlə/
US
- /ˌpɜrpənˈdɪkjələr/
Meanings
Adjective
meeting, crossing, or set at a right angle to something else
upright, vertical, or extremely steep
Noun
a line, segment, or plane that is at a right angle to another
Beyond the definition
Imagine two roads crossing each other perfectly, not slanted, but making a clean "+" or "L" shape. That's what this word means. It describes lines, surfaces, or objects that meet at a right angle, exactly 90 degrees. Think of the corner of a square or rectangle; those sides are perpendicular. Builders, carpenters, and architects depend on this when they make walls, beams, and corners, because it helps keep things straight and solid. You might say a flagpole is perpendicular to the ground, or that one wall stands perpendicular to another. It is mostly a geometry word, but people sometimes also use it more loosely for something that goes in a very different direction.
Perpendicular describes a specific relationship between lines, surfaces, or objects when they meet at a right angle, 90 degrees. This idea is basic but important in geometry, architecture, engineering, and many other fields. Think of the vertical and horizontal lines in a grid; they cross each other at right angles and create a clear, orderly pattern.
The word comes from the Latin perpendicularis, meaning "at right angles." It is most often used in math, drawing, building, and design. You can use it for the sides of a rectangle, a wall meeting a floor, a pole rising from the ground, or a cross street meeting another street at a right angle. In each case, the key idea is the same: the two parts are not merely crossing, but crossing in the exact square-corner way we call 90 degrees.
Consider these examples: "The construction worker made sure the support beam was perpendicular to the floor," or "The surveyor checked that the fence posts were perpendicular to the base line." In computer graphics and technical drawing, perpendicular lines help create accurate shapes, clean layouts, and realistic space. In everyday life, we notice this relationship in doors, windows, tables, shelves, and street corners, even if we do not name it directly.
So whether you are measuring angles, building furniture, drawing a plan, or simply looking at the world around you, understanding what is perpendicular helps you see how things relate to each other in space.
Examples
- 1
Drawing
Draw a line perpendicular to the bottom edge of the page.
- Patternperpendicular to + line/surface
the usual pattern, not perpendicular with
- 2
Directions
The path runs perpendicular to the river for a few meters, then turns left.
- 3
Tools
Hold the drill perpendicular to the surface so the hole goes in straight.
- 4
Street layout
The streets are perpendicular, so the intersection is easy to recognize on the map.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Interior design
The designer used clean perpendicular lines to give the room a simple, modern look.
- 6
Parking
Perpendicular parking is easier for me than parallel parking.
- Phraseperpendicular parking
parking straight into a space, not along the curb
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- perpendicularnounadjective
Forms
- perpendicularspluralnounadjective