What does "perpendicular" mean?
Perpendicular: (Geom.) At right angles to a given line or surface; as, the line ad is perpendicular to the line bc. Perpendicular style (Arch.), a name given to the latest variety of English Gothic architecture, which prevailed from the close of the 14th century to the early part of the 16th; -- probably so called from the vertical style of its window mullions.
Additional senses
- 2.A line at right angles to the plane of the horizon; a vertical line or direction.
- 3.(Geom.) A line or plane falling at right angles on another line or surface, or making equal angles with it on each side.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00