Rectangle

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈrɛktæŋɡl̩/

Definitions

1. A shape having four edges and angles, where opposite sides are both equal and parallel, is known as a particular kind of quadrilateral
2. This geometric figure is defined by four right angles and two pairs of equal-length sides that run parallel to each other
3. A quadrilateral characterized by four right angles and sides that are equal in length in pairs can be described as a specific geometric form

Etymology: The word "rectangle" is built from two Latin parts that each carry a clear, literal meaning: "rectus" ("right" or "straight") and "angulus" ("angle" or "corner"). Put together, they describe a shape whose corners are right angles, the 90-degree corners you get when a line meets another line squarely. The Latin compound "rectangulum" was used for a right angle itself before it came to name the four-sided figure. The word passed into English by way of Middle French, which had taken it from Old French and, before that, from Medieval or Late Latin. Its shape in English therefore reflects a route through French rather than a direct borrowing from classical Latin. Because the word's core idea is simply "right corner," it is a transparent compound: knowing "rect-" (straight, upright) and "angle" is enough to see what the shape is.

Synonyms: quadrilateral, box, parallelogram, oblong, shape

Antonyms: circle, oval, ellipse, sphere, triangle