perpendicular

/ˌpɜːpənˈdɪkjələ/pur-puhn-DIH-kyuh-lur

/ˌpɝpənˈdɪkjəlɚ/pur-puhn-DIH-kyuh-lur

Meaninghanging straight down

Common meaning: at a right angle to a line or surface

perthrough; thoroughly
pendto weigh; to hangLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1328 · scan
icadjective ending: relating to
ularadjective ending: relating to (from a small form)

‘through’ + ‘to weigh’ → perpendicular

Journey through time

Latinpendō; pendeō‘to weigh’
Frenchperpen
Englishperpendicular‘at a right angle to a line or surface’ · today

per- also in: percent percept perfidy perfume perjury

pend also in: pendant pendulum depend expend ponder

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin pendō; pendeō ‘to weigh; to hang’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry pendō, p. 1328 · dictionary scan

Roots

pendō; pendeō Latin “to weigh; to hang”

Related words

append compensate depend expend impending pendant pendulum pension ponder suspend

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