longitudinal

/ˌlɒŋɡɪˈtjuːdənl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌlɑːndʒəˈtuːdənl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌlän-jə-ˈtüd-nəl -ˈtyüd-, -ˈt(y)ü-dᵊn-əl British also ˌläŋ-gə-/ (ame, mw)

longitudinal — adjective

  • longitudinalpositive
  • more longitudinalcomparative
  • most longitudinalsuperlative

1. relating to the imaginary north-south lines on maps that help measure how far ea

1.形容詞B2
釋義

relating to the imaginary north-south lines on maps that help measure how far east or west a place is from a starting point known as the prime meridian.

例句

The map shows the longitudinal lines that help sailors find their position at sea.

attributive before noun: longitudinal lines

Sari checked the longitudinal coordinates before planning her trip across Asia.

同義詞
  • meridional

    purely technical synonym used mainly in geography and astronomy; not common in everyday English

反義詞
  • latitudinal

    refers to lines of latitude, which run east-west rather than north-south

文法句型

longitudinal + noun (lines, coordinates, position)

用法筆記

Frequently appears paired with 'latitudinal' in geography contexts. The longitudinal lines themselves are also called 'meridians'.

常見錯誤

❌The equator is a longitudinal line.
✅The equator is a latitudinal line.
💡Longitudinal lines run north-south, not east-west.

2. running in the head-to-foot direction of a living body, or along the longest sid

2.形容詞C1
釋義

running in the head-to-foot direction of a living body, or along the longest side of an organ or limb — for example, a surgical cut that follows the length of an arm instead of going across it.

例句

The surgeon made a longitudinal cut along Ife's arm to reach the damaged muscle.

anatomical context: longitudinal cut along [body part]

The MRI scan showed a longitudinal tear in Paloma's shoulder tendon.

同義詞
  • axial

    broader term used in anatomy and engineering; not limited to body orientation

  • sagittal

    more specific — refers to the plane dividing left and right, which is also longitudinal but not all longitudinal cuts are sagittal

反義詞
  • transverse

    going across the body's width rather than along its length

文法句型

longitudinal + noun (axis, cut, section, tear, muscle)

用法筆記

Contrasts with 'transverse' or 'crosswise' in medical descriptions. Not used in everyday conversation — appears mainly in clinical notes, anatomy textbooks, and physical therapy reports.

常見錯誤

❌The surgeon made a longitudinal cut across the patient's stomach.
✅The surgeon made a transverse cut across the patient's stomach.
💡A longitudinal cut goes along the length, not across the width.

3. describing a type of research that follows the same group of people over many mo

3.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a type of research that follows the same group of people over many months or years, watching how they change, develop, or respond to factors over time.

例句

A longitudinal study followed five hundred families in Taiwan for twenty years.

attributive before noun: longitudinal study

Researchers used longitudinal data to understand how diet affects children's learning.

同義詞
  • long-term

    less formal and broader in meaning; not restricted to research methodology

反義詞
  • cross-sectional

    describes research that observes different groups at one point in time, like a snapshot

文法句型

longitudinal + noun (study, research, data, survey)

用法筆記

Common in academic and public-health writing. Distinguish from 'cross-sectional' studies, which observe different groups at a single point in time. A longitudinal study is the opposite — it watches the same people repeatedly.

常見錯誤

❌The scientist conducted a longitudinal study over one week.
✅The scientist conducted a longitudinal study over six years.
💡Longitudinal research requires repeated observation over a long period.

4. placed, arranged, or moving along the longer side or dimension of an object, rat

4.形容詞B2
釋義

placed, arranged, or moving along the longer side or dimension of an object, rather than across its width.

例句

Lisa cut the carrot into thin longitudinal slices for the salad.

attributive: longitudinal slices

The carpenter placed the boards in a longitudinal direction along the floor.

attributive: longitudinal direction

同義詞
  • lengthwise

    more common in everyday language; 'longitudinal' sounds more technical or formal

  • axial

    used in technical contexts; refers to the central axis of an object

反義詞
  • transverse

    going across the width rather than along the length

  • crosswise

    everyday equivalent of transverse

文法句型

longitudinal + noun (cut, slice, groove, direction)

用法筆記

Often contrasts with 'transverse' or 'crosswise'. Common in carpentry, textiles, engineering, and food preparation contexts. In everyday English, 'lengthwise' is more common than 'longitudinal' for this sense.

常見錯誤

❌She made a longitudinal cut across the width of the fabric.
✅She made a longitudinal cut along the length of the fabric.
💡Longitudinal means lengthwise, not across.