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Glite Dictionary
bipyramidal

bipyramidal

1 9.9
Having the shape of two pyramids joined at their bases
  • adjective
  • /ˌbaɪˈpɪrəˌmɪdəl/
  • Specialized
: bipiramidal
  • The crystal structure of the mineral is bipyramidal, resembling two pyramids joined at their bases.

Examples

  • So this is trigonal bipyramidal or bipyramidal, I think both are right.

  • If we have trigonal bipyramidal, what's the angle from the axial to the Equatorial?

  • In geometry class, we learned about the bipyramidal shape formed by connecting two tetrahedra.

  • The model of the molecule displayed a bipyramidal configuration, demonstrating how the atoms are arranged.

Surface Forms

bipyramidal positive

Morphology

bipyramidal = pyramidal (transparent) = bi + pyramid + al

Formed by prefixing 'bi-' to 'pyramidal' (itself pyramid + -al), and the meaning 'two pyramids' is directly derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Bipyramidal comes from bi- meaning 'two' and pyramid meaning a 'pointed, triangular shape'. Think of two ice-cream cones stuck together at their wide bases, so something bipyramidal has the shape of two pyramids joined at their bases.