horizontal
adjective
hor·i·zon·tal
ˌhȯr-ə-ˈzän-tᵊl 
ˌhär-
1
2
: relating to, directed toward, or consisting of individuals or entities of similar status or on the same level
horizontal mergers
horizontal hostility
3
medical
: relating to or being transmission (as of a disease) by physical contact or proximity in contrast with inheritance
Genes are normally inherited from parents, but they can also be inserted into a genome by viruses, plasmids, and other foreign agents—a phenomenon called horizontal transfer.—
Stephan Reebs
compare vertical sense 4
Stephan Reebs
horizontal
noun
Examples of horizontal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Your jam might be carousels, text-only posts, images, vertical videos or horizontal ones.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
What Is Fluted Tile? Fluted tiles feature horizontal or vertical grooves that add texture and dimension to your space.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Jan. 2025
Like classical computer bits, photons can have two states, a horizontal and vertical polarization, but can also exist in a superposition of those states, somewhere between horizontal and vertical.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Jan. 2025
Seen in recent years on the engagement rings of stars like Lily Collins and Kate Hudson, horizontal settings like east-west mark a strikingly modern choice that allows more light to enter the stone, increasing radiance.
—Kate Matthams, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for horizontal 
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Jodie Cook, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
What Is Fluted Tile? Fluted tiles feature horizontal or vertical grooves that add texture and dimension to your space.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Jan. 2025
Like classical computer bits, photons can have two states, a horizontal and vertical polarization, but can also exist in a superposition of those states, somewhere between horizontal and vertical.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Jan. 2025
Seen in recent years on the engagement rings of stars like Lily Collins and Kate Hudson, horizontal settings like east-west mark a strikingly modern choice that allows more light to enter the stone, increasing radiance.
—Kate Matthams, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for horizontal
Dictionary Entries Near horizontal
Cite this Entry
“Horizontal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horizontal. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
horizontal
adjective
hor·i·zon·tal
ˌhȯr-ə-ˈzänt-ᵊl, ˌhär-
1
: relating to or being a transverse plane or section of the body
2
a
: relating to or being transmission (as of a disease) by physical contact or proximity in contrast with inheritance compare vertical
b
: of or relating to horizontal gene transfer
Legal Definition
horizontal
adjective
hor·i·zon·tal
ˌhȯr-ə-ˈzän-təl, ˌhär-
: relating to, directed toward, or consisting of individuals or entities of similar status or on the same level
horizontally
adverb
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