Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

perpendicular

/ˌpɝ.pənˈdɪk.ju.lɚ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.29 in modern English

Syllables
per-pen-dic-u-lar
IPA
/ˌpɝ.pənˈdɪk.ju.lɚ/
20
Scrabble Score
13
Letters
5
Syllables
10
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

At or forming a right angle (to something).

adj

Exactly upright; extending in a straight line toward the centre of the earth, etc.

adj

Independent of or irrelevant to each other; orthogonal.

noun

A line or plane that is perpendicular to another.

noun

A device such as a plumb line that is used in making or marking a perpendicular line.

noun

A meal eaten at a tavern bar while standing up.

Obsolete; Slang

adj

Of a style of English Gothic architecture from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, marked by stiff and rectilinear lines, mostly vertical window-tracery, depressed or four-centre arch, fan-tracery vaulting, and panelled walls.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Derived from Middle French perpendiculaire, from Old French perpendiculer, from Latin perpendiculum (“plumb line”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: perpendiculaire, perpendiculer, perpendiculum

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌpɝ.pənˈdɪk.ju.lɚ/
  • British English: /ˌpɜː.pənˈdɪk.jə.lə(ɹ)/

Usage

Inflected Forms

more perpendicular (comparative) most perpendicular (superlative) perpendiculars (plural)

Derived Forms

nonperpendicular perpendicularity perpendicularly perpendicularness quasiperpendicular slantendicular subperpendicular

Phrases

perpendicular axis theorem perpendicular bisector perpendicular distance perpendicular magnetic recording perpendicular pronoun perpendicular recording perpendicular universe

Frequently Paired Words

⟂

Synonyms

normal orthogonal vertical plumb line perpendicular style english-gothic english-gothic architecture

Rhymes With

particular vehicular extracurricular testicular curricular ventricular follicular articular lenticular funicular reticular vesicular

Questions

How do you pronounce perpendicular?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌpɝ.pənˈdɪk.ju.lɚ/.
What does perpendicular mean?
At or forming a right angle (to something).
Where does perpendicular come from?
It is traced to Middle French.

How to pronounce perpendicular

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “perpendicular”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌpɝ.pənˈdɪk.ju.lɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “perpendicular”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “perpendicular” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.