Diagonaale

Diagonaale is a Dutch term related to diagonaal, meaning diagonal. In standard Dutch, the adjective used to describe something that runs along or forms a diagonal is diagonale; the base noun is diagonaal or diagonale when referring to a diagonal itself. The form diagonaale appears occasionally as an older or dialectal variant and is generally rare in contemporary usage. The concept is widely used across geometry, design, computer science, and data presentation to denote lines, patterns, or structures that connect opposite corners or follow a slanted direction.

In geometry and mathematics, diagonals are line segments that join non-adjacent vertices of polygons, such as the diagonals of a square or rectangle. In matrices, diagonal elements lie on positions where row and column indices are equal. In design and art, diagonale or diagonale patterns create slanted lines, tiling, or motifs that differ from vertical, horizontal, or curved elements. Diagonaal-based wording also appears in descriptions of grids, charts, and architectural plans, where diagonal alignment affects symmetry, balance, and visual emphasis.

Etymologically, diagonaal derives from Latin diagonalis via Dutch, with diagonale as the common attributive form in modern usage. Related terms include diagonalen (diagonals), diagonale lijn (diagonal line), and diagonale matrix (diagonal matrix). See also: diagonaal, diagonale, diagonalen.