rectangle: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to formal; common in academic, technical, and everyday contexts.
Quick answer
What does “rectangle” mean?
A plane shape with four straight sides and four right angles, especially one with adjacent sides of unequal length.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A plane shape with four straight sides and four right angles, especially one with adjacent sides of unequal length.
Any object, area, or design having this shape. In computing, it can refer to a rectangular area of a screen or bitmap.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Identical. Primarily geometric/descriptive.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “rectangle” in a Sentence
[the] rectangle [of something][adjective] rectangle[verb] + rectangleVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “rectangle” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No standard verb form. Rare technical use: 'to rectangle' meaning to make rectangular.]
American English
- [Identical to British.]
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverb form. Use 'rectangularly'.]
American English
- [Identical to British.]
adjective
British English
- The garden had a distinctly rectangular shape.
- He preferred a rectangular dining table.
American English
- She bought a rectangular mirror for the bathroom.
- The park is laid out in a rectangular grid.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in design, planning, or describing layouts (e.g., 'a rectangle representing the office floor plan').
Academic
Core term in geometry, mathematics, engineering, and design.
Everyday
Describing shapes of objects like TVs, phones, tables, papers, windows.
Technical
Precise geometric definition; used in computer graphics (e.g., 'draw a rectangle', 'bounding rectangle').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “rectangle”
- Confusing 'rectangle' with 'square'. Using 'rectangle' to describe a shape without right angles.
- Mispronunciation: /rekˈtæn.dʒʊl/ instead of /ˈrek.tæŋ.ɡəl/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, a square is a specific type of rectangle where all sides are equal. A rectangle is defined by having four right angles.
In everyday use, 'oblong' often means a rectangle that is not a square (i.e., with unequal adjacent sides). However, in strict geometry, 'rectangle' is the preferred term, and 'oblong' is less precise.
The stress is on the first syllable: REK-tang-gl. The 'g' is a hard /g/ sound.
No, it is almost exclusively a noun. The related adjective is 'rectangular'. The verb 'to rectangle' is extremely rare and non-standard.
A plane shape with four straight sides and four right angles, especially one with adjacent sides of unequal length.
Rectangle is usually neutral to formal; common in academic, technical, and everyday contexts. in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms directly with 'rectangle'.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a RECTangular tabLE. A table top is often a RECTANGLE.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINER (a rectangle frames or contains things), ORDER (opposed to chaos).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT necessarily true for a rectangle?