trapezoid

[ trap-uh-zoid ]

noun

1. Geometry.
   1. a quadrilateral plane figure having two parallel and two nonparallel sides.
   2. British. trapezium ( def 1b ).
2. Anatomy. a bone in the wrist that articulates with the metacarpal bone of the forefinger.

adjective

1. Also trape·zoidal. Geometry. of, relating to, or having the form of a trapezoid.

trapezoid

/ ˈtræpɪˌzɔɪd /

noun

1. a quadrilateral having neither pair of sides parallel
2. Also calledBrit, Austral., NZ, and South Africantrapezium a quadrilateral having two parallel sides of unequal length
3. a small bone of the wrist near the base of the index finger

trapezoid

/ trăp′ĭ-zoid′ /

1. A four-sided plane figure having two parallel sides.

trapezoid

1. A four-sided polygon in which two sides are parallel and two are not.

Other Words From

• post·trape·zoid adjective
• sub·trape·zoid adjective
• subtrap·e·zoidal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of trapezoid¹

First recorded in 1695–1705; from New Latin trapezoīdēs, from Late Greek trapezoeidḗs “trapezium-like”; trapezium, -oid

Word History and Origins

Origin of trapezoid¹

C18: from New Latin trapezoidēs , from Late Greek trapezoeidēs trapezium-shaped, from trapeza table

Example Sentences

A trapezoid design in mid-century and Art Deco styles, it was met with surprise and pride: “Eric, this is a $50 clock,” his grandfather told him.

From Los Angeles Times

In March 2022, Aston Villa repurposed Lions Square, a trapezoid of land in the shadow of Villa Park, into a “fan zone” — a sort of officially sanctioned tailgate — complete with a stage for live music, interviews with beloved former players, a couple of bars and a smattering of food trucks.

From New York Times

Each wire branch — ending in sheet-metal trapezoid and triangular petals painted primary blue, yellow, red and white — holds the next aloft, like dancers balancing on each other’s shoulders.

From Seattle Times

They designed a transit mall in Buffalo to revitalize the city’s main street; the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh; and the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo, a glass and aluminum trapezoid that hovers above an open garden and plaza built on the fourth story of a commercial building.

From New York Times

During those experiments, Schwartz cut open a Möbius band and realized, “Oh, my God, it’s not the parallelogram. It’s a trapezoid.”

From Scientific American