rectangle

English

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rectangle

Wikipedia

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin or Late Latin rectangulum (“right angle”), from Latin rectus (“right”) + angulus (“an angle”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈrɛktæŋɡl̩/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

rectangle (plural rectangles)

1. (geometry) Any quadrilateral having opposing sides parallel and four right angles.

   Hypernym: polygon

   Hyponym: square

   Coordinate terms: circle, ellipse, triangle, trapezoid, rhombus

2. (nontechnical) Such a quadrilateral that is oblong (longer than it is wide): one that is not regular (equilateral), that is, any except a square.

   Hypernyms: shape, polygon

   Coordinate terms: square, circle, oval, ellipse, triangle, trapezoid, rhombus, lozenge, diamond

3. (archaic) A right angle.
   • 1884, A Square [pseudonym; Edwin A. Abbott], Flatland , London: Seeley & Co., Part I: This World, § 12.— Of the Doctrine of our Priests, page 46:

     For why should you praise, for example, the integrity of a Square who faithfully defends the interests of his client, when you ought in reality rather to admire the exact precision of his Rectangles?

4. (archaic) The product of two quantities.
   • 1728, E[phraim] Chambers, “Product”, in Cyclopædia: Or, An Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences;  In Two Volumes, volumes II (I–Z), London: James and John Knapton , →OCLC, page 886, column 1:

     In Lines it [the product] is always (and ſometimes in Numbers) call'd the Rectangle between the two Lines, multiply'd by one another.

Hyponyms

• (quadrilateral): oblong (not in technical use)
• (quadrilateral): square

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Adjective

rectangle (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Right-angled.

   a rectangle triangle

References

• “rectangle, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
• “rectangle, adj.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

Further reading

• “rectangle”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “rectangle”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “rectangle”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin or Late Latin rectangulum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic)
• IPA^(key): (Valencian)

Noun

rectangle m (plural rectangles)

1. rectangle

Related terms

• rectangular

Further reading

• “rectangle” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin or Late Latin rectangulum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʁɛk.tɑ̃ɡl/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

rectangle m (plural rectangles)

1. rectangle

Derived terms

• rectangulaire

Adjective

rectangle (plural rectangles)

1. (geometry) right-angled (of a geometric figure)

   Antonyms: obtusangle, acutangle

   un triangle rectangle ― a right-angled triangle

   un parallélépipède rectangle ― a rectangular cuboid

Further reading

• “rectangle”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

Anagrams

• glacèrent