Quadrilateral: meaning, definitions and examples

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quadrilateral

 

[ ˌkwɒdrɪˈlætərəl ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

geometry

A quadrilateral is a polygon with four sides (or edges) and four vertices or corners. The interior angles of a quadrilateral add up to 360 degrees. The most common types of quadrilaterals include squares, rectangles, parallelograms, rhombuses, and trapezoids.

Synonyms

four-sided figure, quadrangle, tetragon.

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Word Description / Examples
quadrilateral

This term is used in geometry to describe any four-sided figure. It is a general term and can include shapes like squares, rectangles, parallelograms, trapezoids, and others.

  • A square is a type of quadrilateral.
  • In today's geometry class, we studied the properties of different quadrilaterals.
four-sided figure

This phrase is a more descriptive way to refer to a shape with four sides. It is often used in educational or less formal contexts to help people understand by directly describing the shape.

  • Draw a four-sided figure on your paper.
  • Can you identify all the four-sided figures in this diagram?
tetragon

This is a less common term and is mainly used in mathematical contexts to describe a four-sided polygon. It is rarer in everyday language.

  • A tetragon can be any shape with four sides, like a rectangle or a trapezoid.
  • To solve this problem, first identify the properties of the given tetragon.
quadrangle

While it also refers to a four-sided figure, this term can specifically refer to a courtyard or area enclosed by buildings, typically in an academic or historical setting.

  • The students gathered in the quadrangle for the ceremony.
  • The ancient castle had a large quadrangle in the center.

Examples of usage

  • A square is a special type of quadrilateral with all sides of equal length and all interior angles of 90 degrees.
  • A rectangle is another type of quadrilateral with opposite sides of equal length and all interior angles of 90 degrees.

Translations

Translations of the word "quadrilateral" in other languages:

🇵🇹 quadrilátero

🇮🇳 चतुर्भुज

🇩🇪 Viereck

🇮🇩 segilima

🇺🇦 чотирикутник

🇵🇱 czworokąt

🇯🇵 四辺形 (しへんけい)

🇫🇷 quadrilatère

🇪🇸 cuadrilátero

🇹🇷 dörtgen

🇰🇷 사각형 (sagak-hyeong)

🇸🇦 رباعي الأضلاع

🇨🇿 čtyřúhelník

🇸🇰 štvoruholník

🇨🇳 四边形 (sì biān xíng)

🇸🇮 štirikotnik

🇮🇸 ferhyrningur

🇰🇿 төрткүл

🇬🇪 ოთხკუთხედი

🇦🇿 dördbucaq

🇲🇽 cuadrilátero

Etymology

The word 'quadrilateral' comes from the Latin words 'quadri-' meaning 'four' and 'lateralis' meaning 'sided'. The concept of quadrilaterals has been studied in geometry for centuries, with various properties and classifications developed over time.

See also: quad, quadruple, quadruplet, quads.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #23,110, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.