longitudinal

Studying the same people or things repeatedly over a period of time.

• The team began a longitudinal study.
• Longitudinal research tracked the children for twenty years.
• These longitudinal data show how reading skills develop.

Common phrases: longitudinal study, longitudinal research, longitudinal data

Running along the length of an object, from one end towards the other.

• The beam has a longitudinal crack.
• The aircraft rotates around its longitudinal axis.
• Longitudinal grooves run from one end of the board to the other.

Similar words: lengthwise

Opposites: transverse

Common phrases: longitudinal axis, longitudinal direction, longitudinal section, longitudinal muscles

Connected with how far east or west a place is on Earth.

• The ship’s longitudinal position changed overnight.
• The map shows longitudinal coordinates along its lower edge.
• They calculated the longitudinal difference between the two cities.

Common phrases: longitudinal position, longitudinal coordinates, longitudinal difference

A structural piece that runs along the length of a ship or another structure.

• The workers fitted a longitudinal inside the hull.
• Several longitudinals strengthened the ship’s frame.
• The damaged longitudinal needed replacing.

Common phrases: hull longitudinal, steel longitudinal

A railway support that lies underneath and in the same direction as a rail.

• The rail rested on a wooden longitudinal.
• Engineers inspected the longitudinals beneath the track.
• A cracked longitudinal weakened the rail’s support.

Similar words: longitudinal sleeper

Common phrases: timber longitudinal, railway longitudinal