Pronunciation: ˌ p ə r-p ə n- ' di-ky ə -l ə r
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English perpendiculer, from Middle French, from Latin perpendicularis, from perpendiculum plumb line, from per- + pend ē re to hang ― more at PENDANT
Date: 14th century
1 a : standing at right angles to the plane of the horizon : exactly upright b : being at right angles to a given line or plane
2 : extremely steep : PRECIPITOUS
3 often capitalized : of or relating to a medieval English Gothic style of architecture in which vertical lines predominate
4 : relating to, uniting, or consisting of individuals of dissimilar type or on different levels
synonyms see VERTICAL
– per · pen · dic · u · lar · i · ty \ - ˌ di-ky ə - ' la-r ə -t ē \ noun
– per · pen · dic · u · lar · ly \ - ' di-ky ə -l ə r-l ē \ adverb