perpendicular

Where does the word "perpendicular" come from? It comes from Latin pendere, passing through Latin before entering English (1400s).

Perpendicular’s story begins in Latin: pendere meant “to hang.” To hang, combined with per- (thoroughly). Within Latin, it grew into perpendiculum by ancient. A plumb line, from per- and pendere. It reached English by 1400s as perpendicular. Settled as the English word for something at a right angle to another line. Today, perpendicular means positioned at an exact right angle to a given line or surface.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient pendere "to hang", to hang, combined with per- (thoroughly).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient perpendiculum "a plumb line", a plumb line, from per- and pendere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s perpendicular "at a right angle to a given line or surface", settled as the English word for something at a right angle to another line.