trapezium

[ truh-pee-zee-uhm ]

noun,plural tra·pe·zi·ums, tra·pe·zi·a

[truh-pee-zee-uh]. /trəˈpi zi ə/.

Geometry.
- (in Euclidean geometry) any rectilinear quadrilateral plane figure not a parallelogram.
- a quadrilateral plane figure of which no two sides are parallel.
- British. trapezoid (def. 1a).
Anatomy. a bone in the wrist that articulates with the metacarpal bone of the thumb.

Origin of trapezium

1545–55; <New Latin <Greek trapézion kind of quadrilateral, literally, small table, equivalent to trápez(a) table (shortening of *tetrapeza object having four feet, equivalent to tetra- four + péza foot, akin to poús, podós;see tetra-, foot) + -ion diminutive suffix

Other words from trapezium

tra·pe·zi·al, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for trapezium

trapezium

/ (trəˈpiːzɪəm) /

nounplural -ziums or -zia (-zɪə)

mainly British a quadrilateral having two parallel sides of unequal length: Usual US and Canadian name: trapezoid
mainly US and Canadian a quadrilateral having neither pair of sides parallel

a small bone of the wrist near the base of the thumb

Origin of trapezium

C16: via Late Latin from Greek trapezion, from trapeza table

Derived forms of trapezium

trapezial, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for trapezium

trapezium

[ trə-pē′zē-əm ]

Plural trapeziums trapezia

A four-sided plane figure having no parallel sides.

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