conformal

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UK/kənˈfɔːməl/US/kənˈfɔɹməl/

adjective

That conforms, especially to the shape of something.

“On conformal map projections, the scale depends on location only and not direction.”

Opposite
Less commonScrabble 16

Meanings

adjectiveconformal (comparative more conformal, superlative most conformal)

comparative more conformal · superlative most conformal

  1. That conforms, especially to the shape of something.

    One method for delivering high doses of radiation to a small area is by using more conformal types of radiotherapy.

    2011, Gregory J. Kubicek, Dwight E. Heron, “Optimizing Treatment Strategies in Recurrent Head and Neck Strategies”, in Dwight E. Heron, Roy B. Tishler, editors, Head and Neck Cancer, Demos Medical Publishing, page 256
    2 more examples

    Some are realizable in practical computational times; others giving ‘more conformal’ 3D dose distributions take longer and some invoke technology which is not readily available, such as intensity-modulated fields.

    1993, S. Webb, The Physics of Three Dimensional Radiation Therapy: Conformal Radiotherapy, Radiosurgery and Treatment Planning, IOP Publishing, page 335

    CVD^([Chemical Vapor Deposition]) is generally more conformal than physical vapor deposition, meaning that it covers a rough surface relatively uniformly, tracking the morphology rather than resulting in thin, low-quality coatings on vertical walls of the substrate, as is the case for physical vapor deposition methods.

    2007, Angus Rockett, The Materials Science of Semiconductors, Springer, page 573
  2. mathematicsThat preserves angles between intersecting curves.

    1991 [Elsevier Science], Roland Schinzinger, Patricio A. A. Laura, Conformal Mapping: Methods and Applications, 2003, Dover, page 508, This would have been tantamount to a conformal transformation.

    2 more examples

    Let us find all conformal transformations in d dimensions.

    1999, Malte Henkel, Conformal Invariance and Critical Phenomena, Springer, page 46

    In regions of S where the packings become more deeply embedded in purely hexagonal generations during refinement, the local dilatation approaches 1 and the maps become progressively more conformal.

    2004, Philip L. Bowers, Kenneth Stephenson, Uniformizing Dessins and Bely? Maps Via Circle Packing, American Mathematical Society, page 77
  3. cartographyThat preserves relative angles over small scales, at all but a limited number of distinct points.

    On conformal map projections, the scale depends on location only and not direction.

Synonyms & antonyms

antonym(s) of “mathematics”

Opposite

Origin

  1. Englishconform
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  4. Englishconformal

From conform + -al.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Esperanto angulfidela
  • angulfidelamathematics: that preserves angles unchanged
Finnish konforminen, konforminen
  • konforminenmathematics: that preserves angles unchanged
  • konforminencartography: that preserves angles over small scales, at all except a limited number of points
French conforme, conforme
  • conformemathematics: that preserves angles unchanged
  • conformecartography: that preserves angles over small scales, at all except a limited number of points
  • orthomorphecartography: that preserves angles over small scales, at all except a limited number of points
German konform, winkeltreu
  • konformthat conforms (to a shape or form)
  • winkeltreumathematics: that preserves angles unchanged
  • winkeltreucartography: that preserves angles over small scales, at all except a limited number of points
Hungarian (arány- és) szögtartó, konformis
  • (arány- és) szögtartócartography: that preserves angles over small scales, at all except a limited number of points
  • konformiscartography: that preserves angles over small scales, at all except a limited number of points
Persian همدیس, همدیس
  • همدیس (hamdis)that conforms (to a shape or form)
  • همدیس (hamdis)mathematics: that preserves angles unchanged
  • همدیس (hamdis)cartography: that preserves angles over small scales, at all except a limited number of points
Polish konforemny, wiernokątny
  • konforemnymathematics: that preserves angles unchanged
  • wiernokątnymathematics: that preserves angles unchanged
  • równokątnymathematics: that preserves angles unchanged
  • wiernokątnycartography: that preserves angles over small scales, at all except a limited number of points

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with conformal

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

conformal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conformal

MLA

“conformal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conformal. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “conformal,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conformal.

Source: conformal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.