convex shape
- noun
- /kənˈvɛks ʃeɪp/
- Specialized
:
forma convexa
- A convex shape like a dome can create interesting acoustics in a space.
Examples
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When viewing the bubble, its convex shape made it appear larger than it actually was.
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These examples with polygons end up with a particular convex shape in the end.
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Can you, for example, cut a convex shape from a uniform sheet of plywood that will only sit one way when balanced on edge?
Academic text (2009) -
Geometric ridges help define convex shapes but often seem to exaggerate curvature.
Academic text (2012) -
Suggestive contours connect to occluding contours and often lie in naturally important areas but do not exist at all on convex shapes.
Academic text (2012) -
The glass lens had a convex shape, allowing it to focus light effectively.
Antonyms
How Concave
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a shape that curves or bulges outward' is directly and compositionally derived from combining 'convex' (curving outward) with 'shape' (outline or form). This is a literal, non-metaphorical combination and follows a common cross-linguistic descriptive pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand it.
Etymology
The term convex shape comes from a simple image: imagine the outside of a ball or a smooth hill that bulges outward. The word convex means 'curving outward', so a convex shape is a shape that 'bulges' out with 'no inward curves', which is why we use it today for shapes that curve out everywhere.
