rectangle

/ˈɹektæŋɡəl/REK-tang-guhl

/ˈɹɛktæŋɡəl/REK-tang-guhl

Meaninga right angle

Common meaning: a four-sided shape with right angles

rectstraight; rightLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1536 · scan
angto squeeze, chokeLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 118 · scan
lenoun ending (from Latin -ulus)

‘straight’ + ‘to squeeze, choke’ → rectangle

Journey through time

rect — Latin rēctus “straight; right” (path traced)
ang — Latin angō; angustus “to squeeze, choke” (path traced)

Parts join in French as rectangle.

Latinrēctus + angō; angustus‘straight + to squeeze, choke’
Frenchrectangle
Englishrectangle‘a four-sided shape with right angles’ · today

rect also in: rector rectify erect direct correct

ang also in: anguish anxiety anxious

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 rēctus ‘straight; right’ + Latin angō; angustus ‘to squeeze, choke’.

Did you know (Latin rectus, "straight,…): our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry rēctus, p. 1536 · dictionary scan

Did you know (Latin angere, to…): our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry angō, p. 118 · dictionary scan

Roots

angō; angustus Latin “to squeeze, choke”
rēctus Latin “straight; right”

Related words

anguish anxiety anxious correct direct direction erect rectify rector

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