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
The Grammy Award-winning artist styled a pair of loose-fitting black jeans with coordinated flats and a Balenciaga polo in a base shade of blue with black and faint pink horizontal stripes.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 22 Apr. 2025
That battery-electric, four-passenger aircraft will take off and land vertically, then transition to horizontal flight at speeds of up to 150mph.
—Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
Investigators have recovered the helicopter’s main fuselage, including its cockpit and cabin, the forward portion of its tail boom, its horizontal stabilizer finlets and its vertical fin, the safety board announced Saturday night.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 13 Apr. 2025
New York City helicopter crash latest: Authorities search for answers after 6 killed
The main fuselage, including the cockpit and cabin, the forward portion of the tail boom, the horizontal stabilizer finlets and the vertical fin have all been recovered, according to the agency.
—Riley Hoffman, ABC News, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for horizontal
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Julia Teti, Footwear News, 22 Apr. 2025
That battery-electric, four-passenger aircraft will take off and land vertically, then transition to horizontal flight at speeds of up to 150mph.
—Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
Investigators have recovered the helicopter’s main fuselage, including its cockpit and cabin, the forward portion of its tail boom, its horizontal stabilizer finlets and its vertical fin, the safety board announced Saturday night.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 13 Apr. 2025
New York City helicopter crash latest: Authorities search for answers after 6 killed
The main fuselage, including the cockpit and cabin, the forward portion of the tail boom, the horizontal stabilizer finlets and the vertical fin have all been recovered, according to the agency.
—Riley Hoffman, ABC News, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for horizontal
Cite this Entry
“Horizontal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horizontal. Accessed 29 Apr. 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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