rectangular

American  

[rek-tang-gyuh-ler] / rɛkˈtæŋ gyə lər /

adjective

1. shaped like a rectangle.

2. having the base or section in the form of a rectangle.

   a rectangular pyramid.

3. having one or more right angles.

4. forming a right angle.

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rectangular British  

/ rɛkˈtæŋɡjʊlə /

adjective

1. shaped like a rectangle

2. having or relating to right angles

3. mutually perpendicular

   rectangular coordinates

4. having a base or section shaped like a rectangle

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Other Word Forms

• nonrectangular adjective
• nonrectangularity noun
• nonrectangularly adverb
• rectangularity noun
• rectangularly adverb
• rectangularness noun
• subrectangular adjective
• unrectangular adjective
• unrectangularly adverb

Etymology

Origin of rectangular

1615–25; < Medieval Latin rēctangul ( um ) rectangle + -ar ¹

Example Sentences

Maryland-based McCormick, known by its red-capped bottled spices and rectangular tins, also owns brands including French’s yellow mustard, Old Bay seasoning and Cholula hot sauce.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

The town also has around a dozen emergency shelters, concrete rectangular boxes measuring three by six metres, close to certain public places.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

In the newest version of the detector, the metasurface that absorbs light was redesigned into a circular shape rather than a rectangular one.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2026

One of the current show’s larger conceptual pieces, “Memorial for the Victims of Organized Religion II,” fills a corner with 48 rectangular portrait-sized photographs, all of them solid black or dark blue.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

I do love the rectangular chocolate sandwich cookies, though, and pile a few on my plate, making a mental note to take a few packages with us when we go home.

From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan