■ adjective
1》 at right angles to a horizontal plane; having the top directly above the bottom.
2》 involving or passing through all the different levels of a hierarchy or progression.
3》 Anatomy relating to the crown of the head.
4》 archaic at the zenith or the highest point.
■ noun
1》 a ~ line or plane.
2》 an upright structure.
Derivatives
~ity noun
~ize or ~ise verb
~ly adverb
Origin
C16 (in the sense 'directly overhead'): from Fr., or from late L. ~is , from vertex (see vertex ).