two-dimensional

American  

[too-di-men-shuh-nl, -dahy-] / ˈtu dɪˈmɛn ʃə nl, -daɪ- /

adjective

1. having the dimensions of height and width only.

   a two-dimensional surface.

2. (of a work of art) having its elements organized in terms of a flat surface, especially emphasizing the vertical and horizontal character of the picture plane.

   the two-dimensional structure of a painting.

3. (in a literary work) shallow, unconvincing, or superficial in execution.

   a novel having two-dimensional characters.

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two-dimensional British  

adjective

1. of, having, or relating to two dimensions, usually describable in terms of length and breadth or length and height

2. lying on a plane; having an area but not enclosing any volume

3. lacking in depth, as characters in a literary work

4. (of painting or drawing) lacking the characteristics of form or depth

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Other Word Forms

• two-dimensionality noun
• two-dimensionally adverb

Etymology

Origin of two-dimensional

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

The nanoflowers are made from molybdenum disulfide, an inorganic compound that can form many different two-dimensional shapes at very small scales.

From Science Daily

In less poetic terms, an einstein is an “aperiodic monotile,” a shape that tiles a plane, or an infinite two-dimensional flat surface, but only in a nonrepeating pattern.

From New York Times

“Lovers in the two-dimensional world, no doubt; little triangle number-two and sweet circle,” one participant wrote.

From New York Times

In this way, he shifted the creation of volume on a two-dimensional surface away from the fictional constructions of Renaissance perspective and closer to the way the eye naturally sees.

From Washington Post

A low-poly graphic is built from polygons, two-dimensional, typically triangular shapes that are merged together to form a 3-D figure.

From Scientific American