vertical

adjective vehr-tee-KAHL Rare

Origin: From Latin 'verticalis'.

Usage Note

Vertical means straight up-and-down, perpendicular to the horizon. The feminine form is verticale; plurals are verticaux (m.) and verticales (f.). La verticale as a noun means 'the vertical line' or 'vertical position'. In business French, intégration verticale (vertical integration) is a set term from economics.

Examples

"Les falaises descendent à la verticale dans la mer."

Natural Translation

The cliffs drop vertically into the sea.

Literal Translation

The cliffs descend vertically into the sea.

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