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• gon-
  gon-

  variant of gono- before a vowel.
• -gon
  -gon

  a combining form meaning “angled,” “angular,” used in the formation of compound words.

gon-

¹ American  

1. variant of gono- before a vowel.

   gonidium.

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-gon ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “angled,” “angular,” used in the formation of compound words.

   polygon; pentagon.

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-gon ¹ British  

combining form

1. indicating a figure having a specified number of angles

   pentagon

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gon- ² British  

combining form

1. a variant of gono-

   gonidium

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Usage

What does gon- mean? Gon- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “sexual,” “reproductive.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in pathology and biology, particularly to refer to the reproductive organs. Gon- ultimately comes from Greek gonḗ, meaning “seed” or “generation,” as in "formation" or "propagation." Among the many Latin cognates of gonḗ is germen, “sprout” or “embryo,” which is the source of germ, germane, and germinate. What are variants of gon-?Gon- is a variant of gono-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use gono- article. In some instances, such as gonalgia, meaning "knee pain," gon- is used as a variation of gonio-, from Greek gōnía, meaning "angle."

What does -gon mean? The combining form -gon is used like a suffix meaning “angled; angular.” It is often used in technical terms, especially in geometry. The form -gon comes from Greek gōnía, meaning “angle.” The Latin translation of gōnía is angulus, which is the source of angular and triangle. To learn more, check out our entries for both words.

Etymology

Origin of -gon

< Greek -gōnos, derivative of gōnía angle, akin to góny knee

Example Sentences

Firefighters and rain last week finally tamped down the Oahu blaze, but Gon urged action now “to make sure that it doesn’t turn into yearly fires nibbling away at the source of our water supply.”

From Seattle Times • Nov. 11, 2023

But Gon remains optimistic that the IIT will work, at least as a stopgap.

From Scientific American • Oct. 6, 2023

“I think he has decided to come out in order to change Japan,” said Gon Matsunaka, a director and adviser to Pride House Tokyo, a support center for the gay and transgender community.

From New York Times • Jul. 26, 2023

The sanctions target Choi Chon Gon, a former South Korean national who acquired Russian citizenship, two companies Choi owns and a North Korean who supported Choi, the ministry said.

From Reuters • Jun. 28, 2023

Then the music master was asked to sell Gon to the lady, but he declined to listen to any such suggestion, so everything remained as before.

From The Pink Fairy Book by Lang, Andrew