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

Second place: An exam cram in green Saumya Khandelwal, India Saumya Khandelwal The green in this photo is what hits you first — the dress, the wall and then maybe the small pale rectangle on the screen. —Vicky Hallett, NPR, 15 Feb. 2025

The Drag Race judges cry in response to a giant rectangle of stupidity. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 24 Jan. 2025

One of the tracts is a rough rectangle with North Farnsworth Avenue as the western edge, the Kane County and DuPage County border as the eastern edge, East New York Street as the southern edge and the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks as the northern edge. —R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025

Cut each rectangle in half to form 4 (3 1/4- x 9-inch) rectangles. —Pam Lolley, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 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"