horizontal

adjective

hor·​i·​zon·​tal ˌhȯr-ə-ˈzän-tᵊl How to pronounce horizontal (audio)
ˌhär-
1
a
: of or relating to the apparent junction of earth and sky : situated near the horizon
b
: parallel to, in the plane of, or operating in a plane parallel to the horizon or to a baseline : level
horizontal distance
a horizontal engine
2
: relating to, directed toward, or consisting of individuals or entities of similar status or on the same level
horizontal mergers
horizontal hostility
3
medical : relating to or being transmission (as of a disease) by physical contact or proximity in contrast with inheritance
Genes are normally inherited from parents, but they can also be inserted into a genome by viruses, plasmids, and other foreign agents—a phenomenon called horizontal transfer.Stephan Reebs
compare vertical sense 4
horizontal noun
horizontality noun
horizontally adverb

Examples of horizontal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An additional $84 million is planned for 30 new horizontal wells in 2025. Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024 This crazy star seems to communicate with a smaller, five-pointed star to its upper right that is mainly light blue, though its loose weave of horizontal and vertical marks also contains other colors. Barry Schwabsky, ARTnews.com, 5 Nov. 2024 Featuring a single horizontal screen that effectively replaces the traditional dashboard, the minimalist cabin is yet another example of Nakamura’s design philosophy that centers on clean lines, quality materials and user-centric functionality. Peter Lyon, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024 Here, somewhere along this horizontal strip of sand, my parents would one day play with my children. Zining Mok, Longreads, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for horizontal 

Word History

Etymology

see horizon

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of horizontal was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near horizontal

Cite this Entry

“Horizontal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horizontal. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

horizontal

1 of 2 adjective
hor·​i·​zon·​tal
ˌhȯr-ə-ˈzänt-ᵊl,
ˌhär-
1
: of or relating to the horizon
2
: parallel to the horizon : level
3
: being on the same level
horizontally
-ᵊl-ē
adverb

horizontal

2 of 2 noun
: a horizontal line or plane

Medical Definition

horizontal

adjective
hor·​i·​zon·​tal ˌhȯr-ə-ˈzänt-ᵊl, ˌhär- How to pronounce horizontal (audio)
1
: relating to or being a transverse plane or section of the body
2
a
: relating to or being transmission (as of a disease) by physical contact or proximity in contrast with inheritance compare vertical
b
: of or relating to horizontal gene transfer
horizontally adverb

Legal Definition

horizontal

adjective
hor·​i·​zon·​tal ˌhȯr-ə-ˈzän-təl, ˌhär- How to pronounce horizontal (audio)
: relating to, directed toward, or consisting of individuals or entities of similar status or on the same level
horizontally adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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