diagonal — English Dictionary

Adjective

1. Joining two nonadjacent vertices (of a polygon or polyhedron).

   Usage

   • not-comparable

2. Having slanted or oblique lines or markings.

   Usage

   • not-comparable

3. Having a slanted or oblique direction.

   Usage

   • not-comparable

   Examples

   The visitors' undoing was caused by a diagonal ball from the right which was nodded into the six-yard area by Ian Evatt and finished off by Campbell.

4. Of or related to the cater-corner (diagonally opposite) legs of a quadruped, whether the front left and back right or front right and back left.

   Usage

   • not-comparable

Noun

1. A line joining non-adjacent vertices of a polygon.

2. Anything forming or resembling such a line A line or plane at an oblique angle to another.

3. Anything forming or resembling such a line A line or cut across a fabric at an oblique angle to its sides.

4. Anything forming or resembling such a line Synonym of slash ⟨/⟩.

   Usage

   • Uncommon

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   Initial inquiries among professional typists uncover names like slant, slant line, slash, and slash mark. Examination of typing instruction manuals discloses additional names such as diagonal and diagonal mark, and other sources provide the designation oblique.

Adjective

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

   Examples

   a diagonal line across the page

2. having an oblique or slanted direction

   Synonyms

   aslantaslopeslantedslantingslopedsloping

Noun

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

   Broader terms

   straight line

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

   Synonyms

   bias

   Broader terms

   straight line

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

   Broader terms

   line

   Examples

   the bishop moves on the diagonals

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

   Broader terms

   set

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

   Synonyms

   solidusslashvirgulestrokeseparatrix

   Broader terms

   punctuationpunctuation mark