decahedron

American  

[dek-uh-hee-druhn] / ˌdɛk əˈhi drən /

noun

Geometry.

decahedrons, plural decahedra plural

1. a solid figure having ten faces.

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decahedron British  

/ ˌdɛkəˈhiːdrən /

noun

1. a solid figure having ten plane faces See also polyhedron

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decahedron Scientific  

/ dĕk′ə-hē′drən /

decahedrons plural

1. A polyhedron having ten faces.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• decahedral
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• decahedra
  plural
• decahedrons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of decahedron

From New Latin, dating back to 1820–30; see origin at deca-, -hedron

Explanation

In geometry, a solid, three-dimensional shape with ten sides is called a decahedron. In real life, you're most likely to come across a decahedron in the form of a glass or crystal prism. The next time you see one hanging in a window, reflecting rainbows on the wall, count the number of faces, or smooth sides — if there are ten, it's a decahedron. The word comes from Greek roots deka, ten, and hedra, "base" or "face of a geometric solid."