polygon

noun

poly·​gon ˈpä-lē-ˌgän How to pronounce polygon (audio)
1
: a closed plane figure bounded by straight lines
2
: a closed figure on a sphere bounded by arcs of great circles
polygonal adjective
polygonally adverb

Examples of polygon in a Sentence

Pentagons, hexagons, and octagons are all kinds of polygons.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Radiolarian skeletons are typically constructed of an orderly mesh of rigid polygons. Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025 Eventually, the algorithm produced the Noperthedron, which is made of 150 triangles and two regular 15-sided polygons. Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 At Saturn’s north pole, a colossal jet stream naturally organizes into a six-sided polygon, big enough to fit two Earths across. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025 Google specifically mentioned that the chip's GPU should be much better than older Tensors, which fall well short of competing chips at pushing polygons. PC Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for polygon

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin polygōnum, borrowed from Greek polýgōnon, from poly- poly- + -gōnon -gon

First Known Use

circa 1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of polygon was circa 1560

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Polygon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polygon. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

polygon

noun
poly·​gon ˈpäl-i-ˌgän How to pronounce polygon (audio)
: a geometric figure that is closed, that lies in a plane, and whose edges are all straight lines
triangles, squares, and pentagons are all polygons
polygonal adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on polygon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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