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apothem

American  
[ap-uh-them] / ˈæp əˌθɛm /

noun

Geometry.

  1. a perpendicular from the center of a regular polygon to one of its sides.

apothem British  
/ ˈæpəˌθɛm /

noun

  1. the perpendicular line or distance from the centre of a regular polygon to any of its sides

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of apothem

1855–60; < French apothème, probably on the model of Greek hypóthēma base; apo-, theme

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

At "anapest" it was a noticeable frown, at "apothem" it became very pronounced, and at "dieresis" his shaggy red brows nearly covered his eyes, he was frowning so hard.

From Mike Flannery On Duty and Off by Butler, Ellis Parker

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.