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polygon

polygon

7 3.9
A flat closed shape with at least three straight sides and angles, like a triangle or square
  • noun
  • /ˈpɒlɪɡən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : polígono
  • In geometry class, we learned that a polygon is defined as a flat shape with straight sides and angles.
  • sides of a polygon
  • triangular polygon
  • regular polygons

This new finding is also a tiling, but one that doesn't use polygons tiles.

Examples

  • All of the sides of a given polygon are used to determine the perimeter.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Ideally, study areas would be defined through spatial data layers, such as using polygons entered using GIS software.

    Academic text (2013)
  • The best thing about it is you can apply it to any polygon, with any number of sides.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Alternatively, a pedologist may examine certain similarities or differences between one polygon and another.

    Academic text (1991)
  • From the definition of similar polygons, it follows that for two polygons to be similar, two distinct conditions must be fulfilled.

  • Figures such as triangles, squares, rectangles, or other examples of polygons can be described by determining their perimeter.

    Academic text (1991)
  • The northern segment of Rio Grande do Norte is a part of the infamous "drought polygon" of Northeast Brazil.

    Academic text (1994)
  • The use of bar graphs, frequency polygons, and circle graphs is commonplace in most businesses.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Join tool within ArcGIS, which joins the polygons (buffers) to points (outlets).

    Academic text (2011)
  • Three-dimensional graphic features include hardware-accelerated texture mapping, antialiased lines, dots, polygons, and transparency.

    Academic text (1994)

Synonyms

polygonal shape
vspolygon
  • Specialized
4.2

A flat figure with straight sides like a triangle or square

is the same meaning but uses a single noun form not adjective plus noun

Compounds

concave polygon
  • Specialized
7.9

A polygon with at least one angle of more than 180 degrees that has a part pointing inward

convex polygon
  • Specialized
5.6

A flat shape with straight sides where every line between two points stays inside

reentering polygon
  • Specialized
9.9

A shape with straight sides that has one or more angles pointing inward

reentrant polygon
  • Specialized
9.9

A flat shape with straight sides that has one or more inward angles greater than 180 degrees, like a star

regular polygon
  • Specialized
4.2

A flat shape with all sides the same length and all angles equal

spherical polygon
  • Specialized
9.8

A shape on the surface of a ball made by curved lines from large circles

How Many Sides

hexagon
5 2.8
pentagon
1 3.0
polygon
  • Specialized
7 3.9
triangle
58 1.0

Surface Forms

polygon singular
polygons plural

Morphology

polygon = poly + gon

The word is built from classical combining forms meaning 'many' and 'angle', so the structure is partly clear but not fully transparent to average learners.

Etymology

Polygon comes from the Greek parts poly- meaning 'many' and -gon meaning 'angle' or 'corner', so imagine a shape with 'many corners', like a pentagon with five corners. That's why a polygon is a flat, closed shape with three or more straight sides.