perpendicle

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noun

Something that hangs down, especially straight down, such as a plumb line.

“For quotations using this term, see Citations:perpendicle.”

OriginMiddle English perpendicle ← Latin perpendiculum →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nounperpendicle (plural perpendicles)

plural perpendicles

  1. obsoleteuncommonSomething that hangs down, especially straight down, such as a plumb line.

    For quotations using this term, see Citations:perpendicle.

Origin

  1. Latinperpendiculum
  2. Middle Englishperpendicle
  3. Englishperpendicle

From Middle English perpendicle, from Latin perpendiculum, from per + pendere (“to hang”). Compare French perpendicule.

More words from Middle English, Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

perpendicle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/perpendicle

MLA

“perpendicle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/perpendicle. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “perpendicle,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/perpendicle.

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