Words / B2

VURT-ikl/ˈvɜːtɪkl/

Vertical means upright, going straight up and down: the vertical axis; a vertical drop. Horizontal is across; upright is the everyday twin. Label the vertical axis with units. Mix-up: vertex is a corner in maths. Do not call a steep slope vertical unless it is 90 degrees.

Meaning

Upright; going straight up and down, not across.

Examples

• “Label the vertical axis with units, not just “score”.”
• “A vertical garden featured in the design brief, which is the architecture sense.”

Good to know

the vertical axis / line; vertically. Opposite: horizontal. Trap: vertex. Graphs and design. Up–down, not across.

Near in meaning

upright

New