TWO-DIMENSIONAL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does two-dimensional mean? 

• TWO-DIMENSIONAL (adjective)
  The adjective TWO-DIMENSIONAL has 2 senses:

1. involving or having two dimensions

2. lacking the expected range or depth; not designed to give an illusion or depth

  Familiarity information: TWO-DIMENSIONAL used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TWO-DIMENSIONAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Involving or having two dimensions

Synonyms:

planar; two-dimensional

Similar:

coplanar (lying in the same plane)

flat (having a relatively broad surface in relation to depth or thickness)

placoid; platelike (as the hard flattened scales of e.g. sharks)

flattened; planate (having been flattened)

tabular (flat; like a table in form)

Derivation:

two-dimensionality (the property of having two dimensions)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Lacking the expected range or depth; not designed to give an illusion or depth

Synonyms:

2-dimensional; flat; two-dimensional

Context example:

a flat two-dimensional painting

Similar:

multidimensional (having or involving or marked by several dimensions or aspects)

 Context examples 

Once he had two-dimensional grids based on whole-rock data, he created an inverse model to come up with estimates of the oxygen isotopes within the ancient oceans.

(Scientists determine early Earth was a ‘water world’ by studying exposed ocean crust, National Science Foundation)

Using the new results the team has created the first two-dimensional velocity map of the atmosphere of a star other than the Sun.

(Best Ever Image of a Star’s Surface and Atmosphere, ESO)

A diagnostic procedure in which a two-dimensional picture of all or part of the adrenal glands is obtained through the use of radioisotopes.

(Adrenal Scintigraphy, NCI Thesaurus)

A form of gel electrophoresis where up to three different protein samples can be labeled with fluorescent dyes prior to two-dimensional electrophoresis in the same gel.

(Differential In-Gel Electrophoresis, NCI Thesaurus)

A template consisting of a two-dimensional patterning of biological molecules on a surface for biological analysis.

(Nanoarray, NCI Thesaurus)

A graphical representation of data where the values taken by a variable in a two-dimensional map are represented as colors.

(Heatmap, NCI Thesaurus)

An imaginary surface formed by extension of a point through any axis or two definite points; any flat two-dimensional surface.

(Plane, NCI Thesaurus)

The researchers compiled a two-dimensional thermal map showing the temperature distribution along the patera, and at a resolution better than 6.25 miles (10 km).

(Massive Lava Waves Detected on Solar System’s Most Volcanically Active Object, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Similar to graphene – a two-dimensional form of carbon – FePS3 can be ‘exfoliated’ into ultra-thin layers.

(‘Magnetic graphene’ switches between insulator and conductor, University of Cambridge)

Two-dimensional MXene nanosheets have promise in applications ranging from energy storage to water purification.

(Vitamin C is key to protection of new nanomaterial, National Science Foundation)