vertical
adjective
ver·ti·cal
ˈvər-ti-kəl
1
a
: perpendicular to the plane of the horizon or to a primary axis : upright
b(1)
: located at right angles to the plane of a supporting surface
(2)
: lying in the direction of an axis : lengthwise
2
a
: situated at the highest point : directly overhead or in the zenith
b
of an aerial photograph
: taken with the camera pointing straight down or nearly so
3
a
: relating to, involving, or integrating economic activity from basic production to point of sale
a vertical monopoly
b
: of, relating to, or comprising persons of different status
the vertical arrangement of society
4
medical
: relating to or being transmission (as of a disease) by genetic inheritance or by a congenital or perinatal route
vertical inheritance
… decreasing the rate of vertical transmission of HIV to the fetus by two-thirds, so that the numbers of children with the condition are diminishing.—Cynthia B. Cohen
compare horizontal sense 3
vertical
noun
Cite this Entry
“Vertical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vertical. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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