DIAGONAL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does diagonal mean? 

• DIAGONAL (noun)
  The noun DIAGONAL has 5 senses:

1. (geometry) a straight line connecting any two vertices of a polygon that are not adjacent

2. a line or cut across a fabric that is not at right angles to a side of the fabric

3. an oblique line of squares of the same color on a checkerboard

4. (mathematics) a set of entries in a square matrix running diagonally either from the upper left to lower right entry or running from the upper right to lower left entry

5. a punctuation mark (/) used to separate related items of information

  Familiarity information: DIAGONAL used as a noun is common.

• DIAGONAL (adjective)
  The adjective DIAGONAL has 2 senses:

1. connecting two nonadjacent corners of a plane figure or any two corners of a solid that are not in the same face

2. having an oblique or slanted direction

  Familiarity information: DIAGONAL used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DIAGONAL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(geometry) a straight line connecting any two vertices of a polygon that are not adjacent

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Hypernyms ("diagonal" is a kind of...):

straight line (a line traced by a point traveling in a constant direction; a line of zero curvature)

Domain category:

geometry (the pure mathematics of points and lines and curves and surfaces)

Derivation:

diagonal (connecting two nonadjacent corners of a plane figure or any two corners of a solid that are not in the same face)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A line or cut across a fabric that is not at right angles to a side of the fabric

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

bias; diagonal

Hypernyms ("diagonal" is a kind of...):

straight line (a line traced by a point traveling in a constant direction; a line of zero curvature)

Derivation:

diagonal (having an oblique or slanted direction)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An oblique line of squares of the same color on a checkerboard

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

the bishop moves on the diagonals

Hypernyms ("diagonal" is a kind of...):

line (a formation of people or things one behind another)

line (a formation of people or things one beside another)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "diagonal"):

main diagonal; principal diagonal (the diagonal of a square matrix running from the upper left entry to the lower right entry)

secondary diagonal (the diagonal of a square matrix running from the lower left entry to the upper right entry)

Holonyms ("diagonal" is a part of...):

checker board; checkerboard (a board having 64 squares of two alternating colors)

Derivation:

diagonal (having an oblique or slanted direction)

Sense 4

Meaning:

(mathematics) a set of entries in a square matrix running diagonally either from the upper left to lower right entry or running from the upper right to lower left entry

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("diagonal" is a kind of...):

set ((mathematics) an abstract collection of numbers or symbols)

Domain category:

math; mathematics; maths (a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement)

Holonyms ("diagonal" is a part of...):

square matrix (a matrix with the same number of rows and columns)

Derivation:

diagonal (having an oblique or slanted direction)

diagonalise; diagonalize (transform a matrix to a diagonal matrix)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A punctuation mark (/) used to separate related items of information

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

diagonal; separatrix; slash; solidus; stroke; virgule

Hypernyms ("diagonal" is a kind of...):

punctuation; punctuation mark (the marks used to clarify meaning by indicating separation of words into sentences and clauses and phrases)

• DIAGONAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Connecting two nonadjacent corners of a plane figure or any two corners of a solid that are not in the same face

Context example:

a diagonal line across the page

Similar:

oblique (slanting or inclined in direction or course or position--neither parallel nor perpendicular nor right-angled)

Derivation:

diagonal ((geometry) a straight line connecting any two vertices of a polygon that are not adjacent)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Having an oblique or slanted direction

Synonyms:

aslant; aslope; diagonal; slanted; slanting; sloped; sloping

Similar:

inclined (at an angle to the horizontal or vertical position)

Derivation:

diagonal ((mathematics) a set of entries in a square matrix running diagonally either from the upper left to lower right entry or running from the upper right to lower left entry)

diagonal (an oblique line of squares of the same color on a checkerboard)

diagonal (a line or cut across a fabric that is not at right angles to a side of the fabric)

 Context examples 

The segment of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery that is distal to the third diagonal branch.

(Distal Left Anterior Descending Artery, NCI Thesaurus)

The segment of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery between the first and third diagonal branches.

(Mid-Left Anterior Descending Artery, NCI Thesaurus)

The lateral branch distal to a bifurcation of the third diagonal artery.

(Lateral Third Diagonal Branch Artery, NCI Thesaurus)

The lateral branch distal to a bifurcation of the second diagonal artery.

(Lateral Second Diagonal Branch Artery, NCI Thesaurus)

The lateral branch distal to a bifurcation of the first diagonal artery.

(Lateral First Diagonal Branch Artery, NCI Thesaurus)

That morning, finding that I was to be involved in the horrid disappointment he had prepared for the mutineers, he had run all the way to the cave, and leaving the squire to guard the captain, had taken Gray and the maroon and started, making the diagonal across the island to be at hand beside the pine.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)