If you’ve ever delved into the world of geometry, you know that it’s a beautiful and intricate web of shapes, angles, and measurements. But what if I told you that within the realm of geometry, there exists an array of even more fascinating and interrelated words? These words, when understood and harnessed, can enhance your understanding of geometric concepts, serving as valuable tools in your intellectual arsenal.
Today, we invite you to explore a meticulously curated list of words related to geometry—a compilation that goes beyond the conventional vocabulary you may already know. Uncover the hidden gems of geometrical language and gain a deeper appreciation for the complexity that surrounds us in the form of shapes and figures.
From the familiar terms you encounter regularly to the lesser-known jargon tucked away in textbooks, this article unveils a comprehensive collection of words that will expand your geometric lexicon. Let’s dive in and unravel the often overlooked linguistic intricacies of the captivating world of geometry.
- Point
- Line
- Angle
- Circle
- Triangle
- Square
- Rectangle
- Pentagon
- Hexagon
- Octagon
- Rhombus
- Parallelogram
- Trapezoid
- Sphere
- Cube
- Cylinder
- Cone
- Pyramid
- Prism
- Arc
- Chord
- Tangent
- Secant
- Radius
- Diameter
- Perpendicular
- Symmetry
- Perimeter
- Area
- Volume
- Bisect
- Equilateral
- Isosceles
- Scalene
- Right angle
- Acute angle
- Obtuse angle
- Parallel lines
- Intersecting lines
- Transversal
- Congruent
- Similar
- Vertex
- Hypotenuse
- Altitude
- Median
- Diagonal
- Circumference
- Tangent line
- Secant line
- Inscribed angle
- Central angle
- Arc length
- Sector
- Sine
- Cosine
- Tangent (trigonometry)
- Right triangle
- Isosceles triangle
- Scalene triangle
- Equilateral triangle
- Quadrilateral
- Regular polygon
- Dodecagon
- Nonagon
- Equiangular
- Exterior angle
- Interior angle
- Similarity ratio
- Scale factor
- Transversal lines
- Corresponding angles
- Alternate interior angles
- Alternate exterior angles
- Supplementary angles
- Complementary angles
- Vertical angles
- Transversal angles
- Pi
- Theorems
- Postulates
- Congruence
- Proportion
- Right prism
- Oblique prism
- Right pyramid
- Oblique pyramid
- Regular polyhedron
- Platonic solid
- Euler’s formula
- Pythagorean theorem
- Law of Sines
- Law of Cosines
- Similar triangles
- Similar polygons
- Pythagorean triple
- Golden ratio
- Fractal
- Cartesian coordinates
- Transformation
- Reflection
For detailed descriptions of each word, including examples and usage, simply click on the word above to jump right to it.
Definitions For Our List Of Words Related To Geometry
Point
A point is a precise location in space.
Line
A line is a straight path that extends infinitely in both directions.
Angle
An angle is the space between two intersecting lines or surfaces.
Circle
A circle is a perfectly round shape with all points equidistant from the center.
Triangle
A triangle is a polygon with three sides and three angles.
Square
A square is a four-sided polygon with equal sides and right angles.
Rectangle
A rectangle is a four-sided polygon with opposite sides of equal length and right angles.
Pentagon
A pentagon is a five-sided polygon.
Hexagon
A hexagon is a six-sided polygon.
Octagon
An octagon is an eight-sided polygon.
Rhombus
A rhombus is a four-sided polygon with all sides of equal length.
Parallelogram
A parallelogram is a four-sided polygon with opposite sides parallel and equal in length.
Trapezoid
A trapezoid is a four-sided polygon with one pair of parallel sides.
Sphere
A sphere is a perfectly round three-dimensional object.
Cube
A cube is a three-dimensional object with six equal square faces.
Cylinder
A three-dimensional geometric shape with two parallel circular bases and a curved surface connecting the bases.
Cone
A three-dimensional geometric shape with a circular base and a pointed apex.
Pyramid
A three-dimensional geometric shape with a polygonal base and triangular faces that converge to a single point.
Prism
A three-dimensional geometric shape with two parallel polygonal bases and rectangular faces connecting the bases.
Arc
A curved line segment of a circle.
Chord
A straight line segment connecting two points on a circle.
Tangent
A straight line that touches a curve at a single point without crossing it.
Secant
A straight line that intersects a curve at two distinct points.
Radius
A line segment connecting the center of a circle to any point on its circumference.
Diameter
A line segment passing through the center of a circle and connecting two points on its circumference.
Perpendicular
Two lines or segments that intersect at a 90-degree angle.
Symmetry
A balanced arrangement of parts on either side of a dividing line or point.
Perimeter
The total length of the boundary of a two-dimensional shape.
Area
The measure of the surface enclosed by a two-dimensional shape.
Volume
The measure of the space occupied by a three-dimensional object.
Bisect
The line that divides an angle or a line segment into two equal parts.
Equilateral
A triangle with three equal sides.
Isosceles
A triangle with two equal sides.
Scalene
A triangle with no equal sides.
Right angle
An angle that measures 90 degrees.
Acute angle
An angle that measures less than 90 degrees.
Obtuse angle
An angle that measures more than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees.
Parallel lines
Lines that are always the same distance apart and never intersect.
Intersecting lines
Lines that cross or meet at a common point.
Transversal
A line that crosses two or more other lines.
Congruent
Having the same size and shape.
Similar
Having the same shape but not necessarily the same size.
Vertex
The common endpoint of two or more line segments or rays.
Hypotenuse
The side opposite the right angle in a right triangle.
Altitude
The perpendicular distance from the base to the top vertex of a shape.
Median
A line segment that connects a vertex of a triangle to the midpoint of the opposite side.
Diagonal
A line segment that connects two nonadjacent vertices of a polygon.
Circumference
The distance around the outer boundary of a circle.
Tangent line
A line that touches a curve at only one point, without crossing it.
Secant line
A line that intersects a curve at two distinct points.
Inscribed angle
An angle formed by two chords in a circle that have a common endpoint.
Central angle
An angle whose vertex is at the center of a circle and whose sides intersect the circle.
Arc length
The distance along the curve of a circle, measured in linear units.
Sector
A region enclosed by two radii of a circle and the arc between them.
Sine
A trigonometric function that relates the ratio of the length of the side opposite an angle to the length of the hypotenuse in a right triangle.
Cosine
A trigonometric function that relates the ratio of the length of the adjacent side to the length of the hypotenuse in a right triangle.
Tangent (trigonometry)
A trigonometric function that relates the ratio of the length of the opposite side to the length of the adjacent side in a right triangle.
Right triangle
A triangle that has one angle measuring 90 degrees.
Isosceles triangle
A triangle that has two sides of equal length.
Scalene triangle
A triangle that has no sides of equal length.
Equilateral triangle
A triangle with all sides of equal length.
Quadrilateral
A polygon with four sides.
Regular polygon
A polygon with all sides and angles equal.
Dodecagon
A polygon with twelve sides.
Nonagon
A polygon with nine sides.
Equiangular
Having all angles equal.
Exterior angle
An angle formed by a side of a polygon and an extension of an adjacent side.
Interior angle
An angle formed inside a polygon by two adjacent sides.
Similarity ratio
The ratio of corresponding sides of similar figures.
Scale factor
The ratio of the lengths of corresponding sides of two similar figures.
Transversal lines
Lines that intersect two or more other lines at different points.
Corresponding angles
Angles that are in the same relative position at each intersection where a transversal crosses two lines.
Alternate interior angles
Angles that are on opposite sides of the transversal and inside the two intersected lines.
Alternate exterior angles
Angles that are on opposite sides of the transversal and outside the two intersected lines.
Supplementary angles
A pair of angles that add up to 180 degrees.
Complementary angles
Angles that add up to 90 degrees.
Vertical angles
Angles that are opposite each other when two lines intersect.
Transversal angles
Angles formed when a line crosses two or more other lines.
Pi
A mathematical constant representing the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.
Theorems
Statements or principles that have been proven to be true through logical reasoning.
Postulates
Basic assumptions or principles that are accepted without proof.
Congruence
When two figures have the same shape and size.
Proportion
An equation stating that two ratios are equal.
Right prism
A prism with rectangular bases and lateral faces that are perpendicular to the bases.
Oblique prism
A prism with bases that are not perpendicular to the lateral faces.
Right pyramid
A pyramid with a base that is a regular polygon and lateral faces that are congruent isosceles triangles.
Oblique pyramid
A pyramid with a base that is a polygon and lateral faces that are non-congruent triangles.
Regular polyhedron
A polyhedron with congruent regular polygons as its faces and congruent vertices.
Platonic solid
A regular polyhedron with congruent faces that are regular polygons.
Euler’s formula
A mathematical formula relating the number of vertices, edges, and faces of a polyhedron.
Pythagorean theorem
The Pythagorean theorem states that in a right triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.
Law of Sines
The Law of Sines states that the ratio of the length of a side of a triangle to the sine of its opposite angle is constant.
Law of Cosines
The Law of Cosines states that the square of the length of a side of a triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides minus twice the product of their lengths and the cosine of the included angle.
Similar triangles
Similar triangles have the same shape but possibly different sizes, with corresponding angles that are equal.
Similar polygons
Similar polygons have the same shape but possibly different sizes, with corresponding angles that are equal and corresponding sides that are proportional.
Pythagorean triple
A Pythagorean triple is a set of three positive integers that satisfy the Pythagorean theorem.
Golden ratio
The golden ratio is an irrational number approximately equal to 1.6180339887, often denoted by the Greek letter phi (φ), which exhibits a special mathematical and aesthetic property.
Fractal
A fractal is a complex geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is a reduced-scale copy of the whole.
Cartesian coordinates
Cartesian coordinates are a system for representing points in space using a set of numerical values that specify each point’s distance from a set of perpendicular lines.
Transformation
In mathematics, a transformation is a function that changes the position, shape, or size of a geometric object.
Reflection
A reflection is a transformation that flips a figure over a line, creating a mirror image.
Conclusion
The study of geometry is a fascinating journey that unveils the intricate relationships between shapes, space, and numbers. It is a language that allows us to describe and understand the world around us, from the simple lines and angles to the complex three-dimensional structures.
Through this exploration, we have discovered that geometry is not merely a subject confined to the classroom, but a fundamental part of our daily lives. Whether we are designing buildings, creating artwork, or navigating through space, geometry plays a crucial role in shaping our experiences.
Moreover, geometry provides us with a unique way of thinking and problem-solving. It encourages logical reasoning, critical thinking, and spatial visualization skills, which are essential in various fields such as engineering, architecture, and computer science.
As we have delved into the world of geometry, we have encountered a plethora of terms and concepts that help us describe and analyze shapes and their properties. From the basic elements like points, lines, and angles, to more complex notions like congruence, similarity, and symmetry, these words form the vocabulary of geometry.
Overall, the study of geometry not only enables us to appreciate the beauty and order in the world but also equips us with valuable skills that extend beyond the realm of mathematics. So, let us embrace the language of geometry and continue to explore the endless possibilities it offers.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.