trapvormige

Trapvormige is a Dutch adjective that describes something having the shape or arrangement of a staircase — that is, step-like or consisting of discrete levels. The term is formed from trap (stair, step) and vorm (shape) with the adjectival suffix -ige, and it is used across multiple disciplines to indicate a stepped morphology rather than a smooth, continuous form.

Usage and contexts: In geometry, a trapvormig figure features edges or profiles that rise or fall in distinct flat steps. In geology and geomorphology, the term can describe terrace-like landforms or stratigraphic sequences that exhibit a stair-step pattern along a slope or coastline. In biology, trapvormige structures may refer to features arranged in successive levels or ridges that resemble steps. In data visualization and materials science, the label is used for patterns, graphs, or surfaces that show incremental steps or stair-step textures.

Etymology and related terms: The word combines Dutch words for stair (trap) and shape (vorm) with the typical adjective ending (-ige). Closely related expressions include stapsgewijs (stepwise) and, in cross-lamilages, the cognate concepts in other Germanic languages such as German stufenförmig, which conveys a similar stepped morphology.

Notes: Trapvormig is the more common base adjective in Dutch, while trapvormige specifically modifies a masculine or neuter noun in its attributive form. The term is descriptive and context-dependent, often requiring additional specification to indicate the field or object being described.