horizontal
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.flat and level; parallel to the ground rather than going up and down.
adj.parallel to the plane of the horizon; at right angles to the vertical.
Simple“The carpenter used a tool to make sure the shelf was perfectly horizontal.”
In context“The architect emphasised the horizontal lines of the building to help it blend into the flat landscape of the surrounding plains.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
adj.describing music where notes are played one after another in a melody.
adj.relating to the sequential progression of notes in a melody rather than the simultaneous notes of a chord.
Simple“The teacher explained that a melody is a horizontal arrangement of notes.”
In context“The composer focused on the horizontal development of the fugue, ensuring each melodic line remained distinct within the polyphonic texture.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
adj.the spread of a disease between individuals of the same generation.
adj.relating to the transmission of an infectious agent between members of the same generation, rather than from parent to offspring.
Simple“The virus spread through horizontal transmission among the students in the dorm.”
In context“Public health officials monitored the horizontal transmission of the pathogen within the community to determine if social distancing measures were effective.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
adj.a polite or funny way to talk about sex.
adj.used as a euphemism for sexual activity, referring to the typical physical position during intercourse.
Simple“They were enjoying some horizontal exercise on their afternoon off.”
In context“The tabloid used a variety of horizontal metaphors to describe the celebrity's latest romantic scandal without being explicitly graphic.”
Synonyms - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a part of a structure or a line that is flat and level.
n.a horizontal line, plane, or structural component.
Simple“The artist drew several strong horizontals to represent the sea.”
In context“The engineer checked the horizontals of the steel frame to ensure the weight was distributed evenly across the foundation.”
Usage horizontal axis · horizontal line
Borrowed from Middle French horizontal, from horizon, horizonte, from Latin horizōn (stem horizont-).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.