polygon

noun

poly·​gon ˈpä-lē-ˌgän How to pronounce polygon (audio)
1
: a closed plane figure bounded by straight lines
2
: a closed figure on a sphere bounded by arcs of great circles
polygonal
pə-ˈli-gə-nᵊl How to pronounce polygon (audio)
adjective
polygonally
pə-ˈli-gə-nᵊl-ē How to pronounce polygon (audio)
adverb

Examples of polygon in a Sentence

Pentagons, hexagons, and octagons are all kinds of polygons.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Curiosity rover stumbled on the polygon field while ascending the foothills of a three-mile-high mountain called Mount Sharp, where it’s been roaming since 2014. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 30 July 2026 Researchers previously documented similar polygons in the past formed by mud cracks, but there are multiple ways that could have created them billions of years ago. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 29 July 2026 Their proof involved dividing the area into polygons instead of triangles, defining a network of points and lines from those polygons and then determining the best way to color the points of that network. — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 June 2026 Brands like Barry Callebaut and Cargill employ GPS polygon mapping, which uses satellites to track cocoa bags from individual farms all the way to processing warehouses. — Indrabati Lahiri, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for polygon

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin polygōnum, borrowed from Greek polýgōnon, from poly- poly- + -gōnon -gon

First Known Use

circa 1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of polygon was circa 1560

Phrases Containing polygon

Rhymes for polygon

See All Rhymes for polygon

Browse Nearby Words

Polygnotus
polygon
Polygonaceae
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Polygon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polygon. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

polygon

noun
poly·​gon ˈpäl-i-ˌgän How to pronounce polygon (audio)
: a geometric figure that is closed, that lies in a plane, and whose edges are all straight lines
triangles, squares, and pentagons are all polygons
polygonal
pə-ˈlig-ən-ᵊl How to pronounce polygon (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on polygon

Nglish: Translation of polygon for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about polygon

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