convex

[ adjective kon-veks, kuhn-; noun kon-veks ]

adjective

1. having a surface that is curved or rounded outward. Compare concave ( def 1 ).
2. Mathematics.
   1. (of a polygon) having all interior angles less than or equal to 180°.
   2. (of a set) having the property that for each pair of points in the set the line joining the points is wholly contained in the set.

noun

1. a convex surface, part, or thing.

convex

/ ˈkɒnvɛks; kɒnˈvɛks /

adjective

1. curving or bulging outwards
2. physics having one or two surfaces curved or ground in the shape of a section of the exterior of a sphere, paraboloid, ellipsoid, etc

   a convex lens

3. maths (of a polygon) containing no interior angle greater than 180°

verb

1. tr to make convex

convex

/ kŏn′vĕks′ /

1. Curving outward, like the outer boundary of a circle or sphere.

Derived Forms

• ˈconvexly, adverb

Other Words From

• con·vexly con·vex·ed·ly [k, uh, n-, vek, -sid-lee], adverb
• con·vexed·ness noun
• subcon·vex adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of convex¹

1565–75; < Latin convexus equivalent to con- con- + -vexus, perhaps < *wek-sos, derivative of base of vehere to convey, if original sense was “brought together (to a single point)”

Word History and Origins

Origin of convex¹

C16: from Latin convexus vaulted, rounded

Example Sentences

The bottle has an unusual convex base, meaning it cannot stand upright, and it is made of coarse glass, full of tiny air bubbles.

From BBC

On a convex or tubular structure such as the outside surface of a blood vessel, cells tend to move circumferentially around the shape.

From Science Daily

The most aggressively three-dimensional entries are by Graham Caldwell, who mounts multiple glass objects, such as transparent orbs or convex mirrors, on black metal armatures that jut from the wall.

From Washington Post

Some of the houses have facades that are either concave or convex, depending on what side of the street they’re on.

From Washington Post

Mr. Irwin walked into his studio one day in the mid-1960s, looking for help building a curved, convex armature for his canvas dot paintings.

From New York Times