horizontal
Americanadjective
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at right angles to the vertical; parallel to level ground.
-
flat or level.
a horizontal position.
-
being in a prone or supine position; recumbent.
His bad back has kept him horizontal for a week.
-
near, on, or parallel to the horizon.
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of or relating to the horizon.
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measured or contained in a plane parallel to the horizon.
a horizontal distance.
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(of material on a printed page, pieces on a game board, etc.) extending across, from the left to the right of the viewer.
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of or relating to a position or individual of similar status.
He received a horizontal promotion to a different department, retaining his old salary and title.
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Economics. of or relating to companies, affiliates, divisions, etc., that perform the same or similar functions or produce the same or similar products.
Through horizontal mergers the company monopolized its field.
noun
adjective
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parallel to the plane of the horizon; level; flat Compare vertical
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of or relating to the horizon
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measured or contained in a plane parallel to that of the horizon
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applied uniformly or equally to all members of a group
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economics relating to identical stages of commercial activity
horizontal integration
noun
Other Word Forms
- horizontality noun
- horizontally adverb
- horizontalness noun
- subhorizontal adjective
- subhorizontally adverb
- subhorizontalness noun
- unhorizontal adjective
- unhorizontally adverb
Etymology
Origin of horizontal
1545–55; < Latin horizont- (stem of horizōn ) horizon + -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
According to Khalfa however, the Iranians are already "in horizontal escalation".
From Barron's
Security analysts say the group’s horizontal, franchise-like structure allowed it to engineer a rapid response to Oseguera’s killing — and will allow it to do business as usual in the coming months.
From Los Angeles Times
The vendors that are most at risk are horizontal applications.
From Barron's
The rest of that room’s offerings include about 10 standard-size Polaroids mounted in a single horizontal row.
Sherman Act of 1890 made it illegal for competing companies to engage in horizontal price fixing, potentially punishable by prison time.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
