conical

adjective

con·​i·​cal ˈkä-ni-kəl How to pronounce conical (audio)
: resembling a cone especially in shape
conically adverb

Examples of conical in a Sentence

The tree has a conical shape.
Recent Examples on the Web The former features the familiar mophead and lacecap types, while the latter are rangy plants with conical flower heads. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 16 Feb. 2024 Instead of roaring from a conical mountain, effusive fountains of crimson lava bled upward from this schism. Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2024 Kaylee inherited a tagine (a conical earthenware cooking vessel that shares its name with various hearty stews that are traditionally cooked inside it) from her husband’s grandmother and tried her hand at making traditional North African food. The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 1 Feb. 2024 At court, the silhouettes of men’s and women’s clothing were elongated and pointed, from the tops of women’s conical headdresses to the pointy tips of men’s shoes. Ana María Velasco, Premium, 17 Jan. 2024 Here and there along their runways, the voles have piled sedge clippings six or eight inches high; the conical heaps provide food and shelter through the winter. Bathsheba Demuth, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2024 Shad darts have a conical body and a sharp sloping face. Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024 Friday also seemed a day for abandoning any lingering inhibitions against the wearing of conical red caps, the kind lined with white fur. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 23 Dec. 2023 This one was not what people might think of as a stereotypical volcano: a conical mountain spewing lava. Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 18 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conical.' 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

1570, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of conical was in 1570

Dictionary Entries Near conical

Cite this Entry

“Conical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conical. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

conical

adjective
con·​i·​cal ˈkän-i-kəl How to pronounce conical (audio)
: shaped like a cone
a conical cap
conically adverb

Medical Definition

conical

adjective
con·​i·​cal ˈkän-i-kəl How to pronounce conical (audio)
variants or conic
: resembling a cone especially in shape
conically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on conical

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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