conical

adjective

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

Examples of conical in a Sentence

The tree has a conical shape.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The shoes are covered in bordeaux eel skin with subtle linear patterning and feature a sharp toe, gently squared vamp and conical heel measuring 105mm. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026 This means a petal possesses a kind of conical structure, which is compatible with a flat geometry and therefore shouldn’t create any internal tension. — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2026 The conical pronged device attaches to the end of your hair dryer or multistyler to help diffuse or disperse the airflow. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 31 Aug. 2026 At a fossil site in northwestern Canada called Raven’s Throat River, the mudstone still holds 500-million-year-old coprolites, some as wide as five centimeters, along with complete fossils of trilobites and mollusk-like hyoliths with conical shells. — ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conical

Word History

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of conical was in 1570

Rhymes for conical

See All Rhymes for conical

Browse Nearby Words

conic
conical
conicality
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Conical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conical. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

conical

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

Medical Definition

conical

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