rectangle

noun

rect·​an·​gle ˈrek-ˌtaŋ-gəl 

: a parallelogram all of whose angles are right angles

especially : one with adjacent sides of unequal length

Examples of rectangle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Down the long rectangle of the Mall, all the lamps were lit. —Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2024

Shapes—circles, triangles, rectangles—are hand-painted in acrylic across strands, emerging near each works’ center. —Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 25 Oct. 2024

The full bathroom, featuring Sequoia green ceramic rectangles from Zia Tile, is inviting for the homeowners and their visitors alike. —Morgan Goldberg, Architectural Digest, 4 Oct. 2024

This year, the designs of these glass rectangles and ear lozenges, which have long been characterized by their smooth and futuristic surfaces, seem to yearn for the trappings of antique technologies. —Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin rectangulus having a right angle, from Latin rectus right + angulus angle — more at right, angle

First Known Use

circa 1560, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

rectangle

noun

rect·​an·​gle ˈrek-ˌtaŋ-gəl 

: a four-sided polygon that has four right angles and each pair of opposite sides parallel and of the same length

Etymology

from Latin rectangulus "having a right angle," from earlier Latin rectus "right" and angulus "angle"