wedge-shaped
/'wed eipt/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Having the shape of a wedge: Describes an object or form that is thick at one end and tapers to a thin edge at the other, resembling the common tool.
- (Botany) Narrowly triangular, wider at the apex and tapering toward the base: A specific term used in botany to describe a particular leaf shape.
Usage Examples
- General Shape:
- The geologist found a wedge-shaped stone that was perfect for splitting wood.
- The birds flew in a wedge-shaped formation across the sky.
- Botanical Context:
- The plant is easily identified by its wedge-shaped leaves.
- Botanists note that a cuneate leaf is another term for a wedge-shaped leaf.
Advanced Usage
- Technical/Descriptive Use: The term is often used in technical fields like geometry, geology, and design to describe a precise form.
- The architect designed a wedge-shaped building to fit the unusual plot of land.
- Figurative Use: Can be used metaphorically to describe something that functions like a wedge, such as creating division.
- His wedge-shaped argument drove a split right through the committee's consensus. (Note: This is a less common, metaphorical extension.)
Variants and Related Words
- Cuneate (adj): A more technical synonym, especially used in scientific contexts like biology.
- Cuneiform (adj): Literally "wedge-shaped"; most famously used to describe the ancient writing system composed of wedge-shaped marks.
- V-shaped (adj): Similar but typically implies two straight sides meeting at a point, not necessarily with a broad base tapering to an edge.
Synonyms
- Triangular (narrowly): Having three sides, but specifically describing the wedge-like form.
- Tapering: Becoming gradually narrower toward one end.
Antonyms
- Rectangular: Having the shape of a rectangle.
- Cylindrical: Having the shape of a cylinder.
- Oval: Having a rounded, egg-like shape.
Related Phrases/Compounds
- Wedge-shaped defect: A term in dentistry for a specific type of tooth wear.
- Wedge-shaped distribution: A term in statistics or sociology describing a particular pattern in data.
Adjective
- shaped like a wedge
- (of a leaf shape) narrowly triangular, wider at the apex and tapering toward the base