two-dimensional

adjective

two-di·​men·​sion·​al ˈtü-də-ˈmen(t)-sh(ə-)nəl 

 also  -dī-

1

: of, relating to, or having two dimensions

The most symmetric of the two-dimensional objects is the circle, because you can rotate it any amount and reflect it over any axis through its center, and it remains exactly the same …

—Tamara M. Davis

… consider a piece of paper, a two-dimensional object. Crumple the paper up. The more tightly it's compressed, the more chaotic are its folds, and the closer the two-dimensional surface moves to becoming a three-dimensional solid.

—John Briggs and F. David Peat

2

: lacking the illusion of depth : not three-dimensional

His violent, nakedly two-dimensional art can be difficult to capture in photographs, depending as it does in great measure on knotty textures and eccentric color schemes for effect.

—Publishers Weekly

3

: lacking depth of characterization

two-dimensional characters

two-dimensionality

ˈtü-də-ˌmen(t)-shə-ˈna-lə-tē 

 also  -dī-

noun

plural two-dimensionalities

two-dimensionally adverb

This guide … covers thoroughly and in-depth the process of representing the human form two-dimensionally on paper.

—Heather Halliday

Examples of two-dimensional in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bao Bao Issey Miyake creates bags that transform from two-dimensional designs when laid flat into geometric three-dimensional forms when filled with items. —Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 29 May 2025

Reckoning achieves no convincing emotional exchange; character actors Hayley Atwell, Angela Bassett, Esai Morales, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, and Ving Rhames interact with Ethan/Tom as two-dimensional stock figures. —Armond White, National Review, 23 May 2025

Those Apatow movies, all improv-heavy, are basically two-dimensional xeroxes of superior Brooks movies (Albert and James L.)—long, baggy dramedies that treated normal domesticity as a comfortable if inevitable end point. —Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 22 May 2025

CHiPs was real, Kid Cop Nights is fake, and neither the two-dimensional storytelling of the former nor the hacky absurdity of the latter seem to have much in common with either of the shows referencing them. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for two-dimensional

• interventional
• nonconventional
• nondimensional
• unconventional
• unintentional
• attentional
• conventional
• dimensional
• extensional
• intensional
• intentional
• multidimensional

Kids Definition

two-dimensional

adjective

: of, relating to, or having two dimensions (as length and width)