perpendicularly
- adverb
- /ˌpɜrˈpɛndɪˌkjʊlərli/
- To ensure the structure is stable, the beams must be aligned perpendicularly to the floor.
Examples
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The oscillating torque causes the pickup tines to vibrate perpendicularly to the vibration of the drive tines.
Academic text (1994) -
The two axes of rotation are arranged laterally and perpendicularly to each other, allowing an articulating capacity of +/-180 degrees in each axis.
Academic text (1995) -
The cart is completely wedged perpendicularly in the corridor.
Fiction book (1997) -
It just makes sure that I'm tapping perfectly perpendicularly to the hole.
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It opens onto a narrow, ugly canal, which meets the alley perpendicularly and is level with the walkway itself.
Fiction book (1999) -
When net frames are deployed or working, they are aligned perpendicularly to the vessel and cocked or tilted forward and slightly upward.
Academic text (1995) -
Once the cab has been cut back and the existing body removed to reveal the chassis of the truck, channels are laid perpendicularly across the double beams of the chassis.
Academic text (2008) -
Now, bridging is a technique whereby strands of Belgian linen are laid down perpendicularly across the tear or hole.
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These are erratic chich berms that run up and down hillslopes or, at times, diagonally or perpendicularly across them.
Academic text (2002) -
A net leader, about 12 m long and 1.7 m high, was positioned directly in front of the mouth, extending perpendicularly to the shore to intercept the fish, and two heart-shaped nets were positioned in front of the fyke's mouth, one on each side, to direct fish toward it.
Academic text (1990)
Synonyms
In a straight line up and down
In a way that goes across something at a right angle to its main direction
In a way that is at a right angle to something or not connected to it
In a straight up or down direction
How Perpendicular
Surface Forms
Morphology
perpendicularly = perpendicular (transparent) = perpendicular + ly
Standard adverbial formation from the adjective 'perpendicular' using the productive suffix '-ly', so the meaning is directly derived.
Etymology
Perpendicularly comes from Latin parts per- 'completely' and pend 'to hang', the same root you see in pendulum and pendant. Think of a weight hanging straight down; that's why perpendicularly means 'straight up and down' or at a right angle to a surface.