polygon

American  

[pol-ee-gon] / ˈpɒl iˌgɒn /

noun

1. a figure, especially a closed plane figure, having three or more, usually straight, sides.

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polygon British  

/ pəˈlɪɡənəl, ˈpɒlɪˌɡɒn /

noun

1. a closed plane figure bounded by three or more straight sides that meet in pairs in the same number of vertices, and do not intersect other than at these vertices. The sum of the interior angles is ( n –2) × 180° for n sides; the sum of the exterior angles is 360°. A regular polygon has all its sides and angles equal. Specific polygons are named according to the number of sides, such as triangle, pentagon, etc

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polygon Scientific  

/ pŏl′ē-gŏn′ /

1. A closed plane figure having three or more sides. Triangles, rectangles, and octagons are all examples of polygons.

2. ◆ A regular polygon is a polygon all of whose sides are the same length and all of whose interior angles are the same measure.

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polygon Cultural  

1. In geometry, a closed figure having three or more sides and lying on one plane.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• polygonally
  adverb
• subpolygonally
  adverb
• subpolygonal
  adjective
• polygonal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of polygon

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin polygōnum, from Greek polýgōnon, noun use of neuter of polýgōnos “many-angled”; see poly-, -gon

Explanation

A polygon is a closed shape with straight sides. Rectangles, triangles, hexagons, and octagons are all examples of polygons. The word polygon comes from the Greeks, like most terms in geometry, which they invented. It simply means many (poly) angles (gon). A polygon can’t have any curves or any gaps or openings in its shape. If you want to describe something as angular and closed, like, say, the Pentagon, or a stop sign, you could call it "polygonal."

Example Sentences

“I think it’s actually incredibly important to have some form of insider information in these markets,” says Polygon Labs CEO Marc Boiron, whose firm operates the blockchain used by Polymarket.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

In messages seen by BBC News, they told him the issue seemed to be with "the specific type of Polygon network used, which led to the conversion".

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2025

It's potential for savings on transaction costs that have big investment players circling, according to Colin Butler, global head of institutional capital at blockchain firm Polygon Labs.

From Reuters • Oct. 3, 2023

His work has been featured at SB Nation, New Republic and Polygon.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 27, 2023

They had high ground all around us, as the country goes up from Observatory Ridge and Sanctuary Wood and Bellewaerde to the Westhoek Ridge and the high plateau of Polygon Wood.

From From Bapaume to Passchendaele, 1917 by Gibbs, Philip

Related Words

• shape