erect

American  

[ih-rekt] / ɪˈrɛkt /

adjective

1. upright in position or posture.

   to stand or sit erect.

   Synonyms:

   vertical, standing

2. raised or directed upward.

   a dog with ears erect.

3. Botany. vertical throughout; not spreading or declined.

   an erect stem;

   an erect leaf or ovule.

4. Heraldry.

   1. (of a charge) represented vertically, following the line of a pale.

      a sword erect.

   2. (of an animal or part of an animal) represented upright.

      a boar's head erect.

5. Optics. (of an image) having the same position as the object; not inverted.

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verb (used with object)

1. to build; construct; raise.

   to erect a house.

   Synonyms:

   upraise, upend, set up, put up

2. to raise and set in an upright or vertical position.

   to erect a telegraph pole.

3. to set up or establish, as an institution; found.

4. to bring about; cause to come into existence.

   to erect barriers to progress.

5. Geometry. to draw or construct (a line or figure) upon a given line, base, or the like.

6. to form or create legally (usually followed byinto ).

   to erect a territory into a state.

7. Optics. to change (an inverted image) to the normal position.

8. Machinery. to assemble; make ready for use.

verb (used without object)

1. to become erect; stand up or out.

erect British  

/ ɪˈrɛkt /

adjective

1. upright in posture or position; not bent or leaning

   an erect stance

2. (of an optical image) having the same orientation as the object; not inverted

3. physiol (of the penis, clitoris, or nipples) firm or rigid after swelling with blood, esp as a result of sexual excitement

4. (of plant parts) growing vertically or at right angles to the parts from which they arise

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verb

1. to put up; construct; build

2. to raise to an upright position; lift up

   to erect a flagpole

3. to found or form; set up

4. (also intr) physiol to become or cause to become firm or rigid by filling with blood

5. to hold up as an ideal; exalt

6. optics to change (an inverted image) to an upright position

7. to draw or construct (a line, figure, etc) on a given line or figure, esp at right angles to it

Related Words

See upright.

Other Word Forms

• erectable adjective
• erectly adverb
• erectness noun
• nonerecting adjective
• preerect verb (used with object)
• reerect verb (used with object)
• semierect adjective
• semierectly adverb
• semierectness noun
• suberect adjective
• suberectly adverb
• suberectness noun
• unerect adjective

Etymology

Origin of erect

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin ērēctus “raised up” (past participle of ērigere ), equivalent to ē- e- ¹ + reg- “guide, direct” ( royal ) + -tus past participle suffix

Related Words

• assemble
• construct
• create
• found
• hoist
• initiate
• mount
• organize
• put up
• raise
• set up
• stand