rectangle
n. countablen. a flat shape with four straight sides and four right angles. Two sides are usually longer than the other two.
n. a quadrilateral with four right angles. Opposite sides are parallel and equal in length.
The computer screen is a large rectangle.
The architect drew a perfect rectangle to represent the floor plan of the new office building.
While every square is technically a rectangle, the term is most frequently used to describe four-sided polygons where the length and width are unequal.
Borrowed from Middle French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin or Late Latin rectangulum (“right angle”), from Latin rectus (“right”) + angulus (“an angle”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 7, 2026