cylindrical

American

[si-lin-dri-kuhl] / sɪˈlɪn drɪ kəl /

Also cylindric

adjective

of, relating to, or having the form of a cylinder.

cylindrical British

/ sɪˈlɪndrɪk, sɪˈlɪndrɪkəl /

adjective

of, shaped like, or characteristic of a cylinder

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

cylindricality noun
cylindrically adverb
cylindricalness noun
subcylindric adjective
subcylindrical adjective

Etymology

Origin of cylindrical

1640–50; < New Latin cylindric ( us ) (< Greek kylindrikós; cylinder, -ic ) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Varda makes automated labs that look like cylindrical desktop speakers, which it sends into orbit in capsules and satellite platforms it also builds.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026

The machines essentially grow silicon crystals into cylindrical ingots that weigh hundreds of pounds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

Along with AI-generated holograms and sci-fi animation, the heart of the neon-lit venue features a giant cylindrical computer -- presented as the digital mainframe powering the restaurant's lights and smoke shows.

From Barron's • Nov. 30, 2025

Significant amounts of chemicals are stored in cylindrical tanks, and give the facility a distinct smell that is similar to a freshly-cleaned hospital ward.

From BBC • Aug. 6, 2025

The bombers opened their bomb bay doors, exerted a miraculous magnetism which shrunk the fires, gathered them into cylindrical steel containers, and lifted the containers into the bellies of the planes.

From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023