poprzeczny

Poprzeczny is a Polish adjective meaning transverse or crosswise, describing something oriented across a main longitudinal axis. The term is used across several fields to indicate a crosswise arrangement, perspective, or direction.

In anatomy and medicine, poprzeczny is used for structures or planes that run perpendicular to the body's long axis. The transverse plane, termed płaszczyzna poprzeczna, divides the body into superior and inferior parts. A common example is mięsień poprzeczny brzucha (transversus abdominis), whose fibers run horizontally around the abdomen. The word helps distinguish from longitudinal or frontal (coronal) orientations.

In engineering, construction, and carpentry, poprzeczny describes components arranged across a frame for stability, such as a poprzeczna belka (crossbeam) or poprzeczka (crossbar).

In botany and histology, the term can denote crosswise arrangement or cross-sections, for instance przekrój poprzeczny through stems or tissues.

Beyond technical usage, poprzeczny appears in general descriptions of any crosswise layout or perpendicular alignment relative to a reference axis. The Latin counterpart commonly found in anatomical terminology is transversus. The related noun form poprzeczka refers to a physical crossbar or crosspiece used to span or reinforce a structure.