adj Uncommon

cylindrical

sih-LIHND-rih-kuhl

Cylindrical (adj) means Shaped like a cylinder; having straight sides and a circular cross-section. Example: “The water tank is cylindrical, standing about two metres tall.”

adj

Shaped like a cylinder; having straight sides and a circular cross-section.

"The water tank is cylindrical, standing about two metres tall."

How to use cylindrical

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishShaped like a tube or can — round in cross-section, with straight sides.

Common pairings

cylindrical shape cylindrical container cylindrical tower

Word forms

more cylindrical comparative, most cylindrical superlative

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The water tank is _____, standing about two metres tall.

Etymology

From Latin cylindricus, formed on cylinder plus the adjectival suffix -ical.

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for cylindrical

musical comical radical medical logical lyrical typical cynical optical magical ethical inimical

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Frequently asked questions

What does “cylindrical” mean?

The word “cylindrical” means shaped like a cylinder; having straight sides and a circular cross-section. In plain terms, shaped like a tube or can — round in cross-section, with straight sides.

How do you pronounce “cylindrical”?

“Cylindrical” is pronounced sih-LIHND-rih-kuhl (/sɪˈlɪndɹɪkəl/ in IPA).

How do you use “cylindrical” in a sentence?

Here is “cylindrical” used in a sentence: “The water tank is cylindrical, standing about two metres tall.”

What part of speech is “cylindrical”?

“Cylindrical” is an adjective.

Where does the word “cylindrical” come from?

The word “cylindrical” comes from Latin. From Latin cylindricus, formed on cylinder plus the adjectival suffix -ical.

Is “cylindrical” a common word?

“Cylindrical” is an uncommon word in modern English.