From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdiagonaldi‧ag‧o‧nal /daɪˈæɡənəl/ ●○○ adjective 1 HMHMa diagonal line is straight and joins two opposite corners of a flat shape, usually a square → horizontal, vertical2 CFfollowing a sloping angle diagonal parking spaces —diagonal noun [countable] —diagonally adverb The path goes diagonally across the field.
Examples from the Corpus
diagonal• Horizontal or diagonal branches produce more flowering shoots, and therefore more fruit, than vertical ones.• He drew a diagonal line across the page• For a diagonal matrix D having all its diagonal elements different, it follows that C must then also be diagonal.• This equation has a different, but still diagonal, metric tensor.• Patterns include lots of stripes, many of them worked in diagonal or chevron patterns.• On the white-painted wall of the lobby were several outsize representations of lighted cigarettes with a diagonal red line drawn through them.• New dimensions Adding diagonal ribbons creates a new dimension.• Forward seat belts each comprised a two-piece lap strap, fastened by a buckle, and an inertial reel diagonal shoulder strap.• Six to eight diagonal transverse bands lie on the upper half of the body.Origin diagonal (1500-1600) Latin diagonalis, from Greek diagonios “from angle to angle”, from gonia “angle” 