inclined plane

noun

: a plane surface that makes an oblique angle with the plane of the horizon

Examples of inclined plane in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In the ’50s and ’60s, the primal appeal of fluid spaces inspired the French architect Claude Parent to sing the wonders of oblique angles and inclined planes. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 22 Feb. 2023 The inclined plane is the simplest of the simple machines, but it's been instrumental in everything from (most likely) building the Pyramids to making canals navigable. Discover Magazine, 4 Aug. 2011 Or, as Lee has field-tested, they could be placed on sleds and moved up an inclined plane along a ladder-like apparatus, levered from one wrung to the next. Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 18 Mar. 2021 This suggests, at least to some researchers, that flapping up an inclined plane could have been a bridge between running and flying. Discover Magazine, 4 Aug. 2011 Salvage experts turned to parbuckling — using a sling to right a vessel on an inclined plane. Jim Sullivan, Discover Magazine, 15 Jan. 2014 The threads are a form of inclined plane or wedge, the simplest type of tool. Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 21 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inclined plane.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inclined plane was in 1661

Dictionary Entries Near inclined plane

Cite this Entry

“Inclined plane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inclined%20plane. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

inclined plane

noun
: a flat surface that makes an angle with the plane of the horizon

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