main diagonal

main diagonal

noun Mathematics.
See under diagonal (def. 9).
Dictionary.com Unabridged

di·ag·o·nal

[dahy-ag-uh-nl, -ag-nl]
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.
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.
EXPAND
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.
COLLAPSE

Origin:
1535–45; < Latin diagōnālis < Greek diagṓn(ios) from angle to angle (see dia-, -gon) + Latin -ālis -al1

di·ag·o·nal·ly, adverb
non·di·ag·o·nal, adjective, noun
non·di·ag·o·nal·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To main diagonal
WordNet
main diagonal

noun
the diagonal of a square matrix running from the upper left entry to the lower right entry 
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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