hexagon

noun

hexa·​gon ˈhek-sə-ˌgän How to pronounce hexagon (audio)
: a polygon of six angles and six sides

Examples of hexagon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Say every hexagon is assigned its state at random, independent of all the other hexagons, with a probability that is constant across the entire grid. Quanta Magazine, 7 Feb. 2024 These kites aren't the same as Penrose's; Smith made them by slicing a regular hexagon into six equal pieces with lines connecting the midpoints of opposite edges. Craig S. Kaplan, Scientific American, 14 Dec. 2023 Stripped of their brown paint and polished, each fragment will weigh 18 grams, or just over half an ounce, and be fashioned into a hexagon — the shape of France. Aurelien Breeden, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024 The hexagon surrounding it represents strength and unity. Olivia Munson, The Courier-Journal, 5 Jan. 2024 There could be, say, a 1% chance that each hexagon is empty. Quanta Magazine, 7 Feb. 2024 Many of the most promising submissions are built on lattices, a mathematical concept involving grids of points in various repeating shapes, like squares or hexagons, but projected into dimensions far beyond what humans can visualize. Zach Montague, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2023 Since these mirrors are put together in a hexagon, there are six main diffraction spikes. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 Jan. 2024 Graphene, a flat plane of carbon atoms arranged in hexagons, is lightweight, flexible, hundreds of times as strong as steel, and conducts electricity extremely well. Belle Lin, WSJ, 12 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hexagon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Greek hexagōnon, neuter of hexagōnos hexagonal, from hexa- + gōnia angle — more at -gon

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hexagon was in 1570

Dictionary Entries Near hexagon

Cite this Entry

“Hexagon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hexagon. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hexagon

noun
hexa·​gon ˈhek-sə-ˌgän How to pronounce hexagon (audio)
: a polygon of six angles and six sides

More from Merriam-Webster on hexagon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!