polygon
UK[ˈpɒlɪɡən]US[ˈpɑːliɡɑːn]
n
a flat shape with three or more straight sides and angles.
Morpheme Breakdown
poly
gon
poly
many
gon
angle
Etymology
the word 'polygon' is a direct borrowing from late latin 'polygōnum', which itself originates from greek 'polygōnon', a neuter form of 'polygōnos' meaning 'many-angled'. it is a compound of the greek roots 'polys' (many) and 'gōnia' (angle, corner). this construction follows a perfectly logical and descriptive pattern in scientific and mathematical terminology, where geometric shapes are named according to the number of their angles. thus, the term's literal meaning, 'many angles', transparently defines the abstract geometric concept it represents today.
Analysis
Structure: poly (many) + gon (angle)
poly (from greek 'polys', meaning many, serving as a quantitative prefix); gon (from greek 'gōnia', meaning angle or corner, serving as the core noun root).
Examples
a regular polygon has all sides and all angles equal.
the children were learning to identify different types of polygons, such as pentagons and hexagons.
the surveyor plotted the boundary of the property, which formed an irregular polygon.