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diagonal - 8 dictionary results

di⋅ag⋅o⋅nal

  [dahy-ag-uh-nl, -ag-nl]
Use diagonal in a Sentence
–adjective
1. Mathematics.
a. connecting two nonadjacent angles or vertices of a polygon or polyhedron, as a straight line.
b. extending from one edge of a solid figure to an opposite edge, as a plane.
2. having an oblique direction.
3. having oblique lines, ridges, markings, etc.
–noun
4. a diagonal line or plane.
5. virgule.
6. a diagonal row, part, pattern, etc.
7. Manège. (of a horse at a trot) the foreleg and the hind leg, diagonally opposite, which move forward simultaneously.
8. diagonal cloth.
9. Mathematics. a set of entries in a square matrix running either from upper left to lower right (main diagonal or principal diagonal) or lower left to upper right (secondary diagonal).
10. Chess. one of the oblique lines of squares on a chessboard: He advanced his bishop along the open diagonal.
Origin:
1535–45; < L diagōnālis < Gk diagn(ios) from angle to angle (see dia-, -gon ) + L -ālis -al 1

Related forms:
di⋅ag⋅o⋅nal⋅ly, adverb

diagonal cloth

 
–noun
a twilled fabric woven with distinctly diagonal lines.
Also called diagonal.

Origin:
1860–65

vir⋅gule

  [vur-gyool]
–noun Printing.
1. a short oblique stroke (/) between two words indicating that whichever is appropriate may be chosen to complete the sense of the text in which they occur: The defendant and/or his/her attorney must appear in court.
2. a dividing line, as in dates, fractions, a run-in passage of poetry to show verse division, etc.: 3/21/27; 3/4; Sweetest love I do not go/For weariness of thee.
Also called diagonal, separatrix, shilling mark, slant, slash, solidus; especially British, stroke.

Origin:
1830–40; < F virgule comma, little rod < L virgula; see virgulate
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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di·ag·o·nal   (dī-āg'ə-nəl)   


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adj.  
  1. Mathematics
    1. Joining two nonadjacent vertices of a polygon.
    2. Joining two vertices of a polyhedron not in the same face.
  2. Having a slanted or oblique direction.
  3. Having oblique lines or markings.
  4. Relating to or being the front left and back right feet or the front right and back left feet of a quadruped.
n.  
  1. Mathematics A diagonal line or plane.
  2. Something, such as a row, course, or part, that is arranged obliquely.
  3. A fabric woven with diagonal lines.
  4. A virgule.

[Latin diagōnālis, from Greek diagōnios, from angle to angle : dia-, dia- + gōniā, angle, corner; see genu-1 in Indo-European roots.]
di·ag'o·nal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Diagonal

Di*ag"o*nal\, a. [L. diagonalis, fr. Gr. ? from to angle; dia` through + ? an angle; perh. akin to E. knee: cf. F. diagonal.] (Geom.) Joining two not adjacent angles of a quadrilateral or multilateral figure; running across from corner to corner; crossing at an angle with one of the sides.

Diagonal bond (Masonry), herringbone work. See Herringbone, a.

Diagonal built (Shipbuilding), built by forming the outer skin of two layers of planking, making angles of about 45[deg] with the keel, in opposite directions.

Diagonal cleavage. See under Cleavage.

Diagonal molding (Arch.), a chevron or zigzag molding.

Diagonal rib. (Arch.) See Cross-springer.

Diagonal scale, a scale which consists of a set of parallel lines, with other lines crossing them obliquely, so that their intersections furnish smaller subdivisions of the unit of measure than could be conveniently marked on a plain scale.

Diagonal stratification. (Geol.) Same as Cross bedding, under Cross, a.

Diagonal

Di*ag"o*nal\, n. 1. A right line drawn from one angle to another not adjacent, of a figure of four or more sides, and dividing it into two parts.

2. (Engin.) A member, in a framed structure, running obliquely across a panel.

3. A diagonal cloth; a kind of cloth having diagonal stripes, ridges, or welts made in the weaving.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : diagonal
Spanish: diagonal,
German: die Diagonale,
Japanese: 対角線
More Translations »

diagonal 
1541, from M.Fr. diagonal, from L. diagonalis, from diagonus "slanting line," from Gk. diagonios "from angle to angle," from dia- "across" + gonia "angle," related to gony "knee" (see knee).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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diagonal   (dī-āg'ə-nəl)  Pronunciation Key 
Adjective   Connecting two nonadjacent corners in a polygon or two nonadjacent corners in a polyhedron that do not lie in the same face.

Noun   A diagonal line segment.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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