convex shape
1
4.3
- noun
- /kənˈvɛks ʃeɪp/
- Specialized
- 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
- Specialized
1
9.4
- Specialized
1
9.9
1
5.2
- Specialized
1
4.3
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.