trapezoid

noun

trap·​e·​zoid ˈtra-pə-ˌzȯid How to pronounce trapezoid (audio)
1
a
: a quadrilateral having only two sides parallel
b
British : trapezium sense 1a
2
: a bone in the wrist at the base of the metacarpal of the index finger
trapezoidal adjective

Illustration of trapezoid

Illustration of trapezoid
  • trapezoid 1a

Examples of trapezoid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Make three trapezoids from cardstock, in the following dimensions: 3 inches (base) x 1 inch (height) x 3/4 inches (top). Rachelle Doorley, Parents, 16 Aug. 2023 The feature explicitly identifies in-car symbols, offering a way to know what those squiggly lines and trapezoids mean. Sebastian Blanco, Car and Driver, 24 July 2023 Jeff Shouse, Live Water Properties, (406) 586-1211. Palos Park, Illinois Courtesy image This 1975 three-bedroom home on Mill Creek comprises six levels of intersecting trapezoids constructed of boulders, heavy timber, and brick. The Week Staff, The Week, 30 Apr. 2023 The trapezoid’s area then equals the distance Jupiter has traveled. Jonathon Keats, Discover Magazine, 19 Dec. 2016 The teacher was a young, floppy-haired man shaped like an upside-down trapezoid. E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2023 The bottle is a tall trapezoid, featuring crisp lines and a golden semicircle at the top. Dallas News, 30 Nov. 2022 When folded up, the prop arms form a trapezoid around the drone’s central core. Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 20 May 2015 It’s the big city sister of his ladylike Ana bag that is shaped like a dainty little trapezoid. Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trapezoid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin trapezoïdes, from Greek trapezoeidēs trapezium-shaped, from trapeza table

First Known Use

circa 1706, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of trapezoid was circa 1706

Dictionary Entries Near trapezoid

Cite this Entry

“Trapezoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trapezoid. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

trapezoid

noun
trap·​e·​zoid ˈtrap-ə-ˌzȯid How to pronounce trapezoid (audio)
: a polygon that has four sides and exactly two that are parallel
trapezoidal adjective

Medical Definition

trapezoid

noun
trap·​e·​zoid ˈtrap-ə-ˌzȯid How to pronounce trapezoid (audio)
: a bone in the distal row of the carpus at the base of the index finger

called also lesser multangular, trapezoid bone, trapezoideum

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