Meaning & use

transverse

adjective·Advanced

Situated or lying across something, at right angles to its long axis.

See it in a sentence

A transverse beam supports the bridge's main span and runs perpendicular to the road.

The car's engine is mounted transverse to the chassis rather than facing front to back.

A note on using this word

Transverse is common in anatomy, engineering, and geometry to describe anything crossing the main axis at an angle, usually ninety degrees.

Words with a similar meaning

crosswiseperpendicular

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

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