hexagon

American  

[hek-suh-gon, -guhn] / ˈhɛk səˌgɒn, -gən /

noun

1. a polygon having six angles and six sides.

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hexagon British  

/ ˈhɛksəɡən /

noun

1. a polygon having six sides

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hexagon Scientific  

/ hĕk′sə-gŏn′ /

1. A polygon having six sides.

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hexagon Cultural  

1. A polygon having six sides.

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Etymology

Origin of hexagon

From the Greek word hexágōnon, dating back to 1560–70. See hexa-, -gon

Explanation

The name of a shape depends on how many sides it has. A hexagon is a polygon that has six sides. Remember the "x" in "six" and "hex," and you'll be fine. Many of our words in science and math hearken back to the Greek, and hexagon is no exception. The idea of a six-sided figure comes from the Greek hexágōnon, with gonia meaning "angle," which makes sense, as a hexagon not only has six sides, but six angles, or vertices. There are various types of hexagons, including the "regular hexagon" (where all the sides and angles are equal to each other) and the "irregular hexagon" (which has unequal angles and sides).

Example Sentences

The fighters will use 4-ounce gloves and will face off inside a hexagon cage.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

Winds whip around this hexagon at 300 miles per hour, but why the region forms the shape is a mystery.

From New York Times • May 21, 2024

Yet for some species, the hexagon comes with a nasty catch: It isn't one-size-fits-all.

From Salon • Jul. 27, 2023

In 1975 he conjectured that the optimal packing of n circles is an arrangement in a triangular lattice that forms the shape of a hexagon that is as regular as possible.

From Scientific American • Jun. 6, 2023

Its wick emitted a gentle hiss and soft yellow light as a tiny petal of flame danced inside its glass hexagon.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

Related Words

• shape