Home

trigonon

Trigonon is a historical term derived from the Greek trigōnon (Greek: τρίγώνον), meaning "three-angled" or "three-edged." In classical geometry, trigōnon referred to a triangle or to figures with three angles. The word is the direct ancestor of the English word triangle and of the technical prefix trigono- used in modern terms such as trigonometry, trigonal, and trigonoid, though the standalone noun is rarely used today.

Etymology and linguistic notes: the term comes from the elements tri- meaning three and gonia meaning angle

Historical usage: in ancient Greek mathematics, τρίγώνον was the ordinary term for a three-angled figure. Through Latin

Modern usage: in contemporary mathematics, science, and education, the noun triangle is standard. "Trigonon" remains primarily

See also: triangle, trigonometry, trigono-.

or
corner,
reflecting
the
defining
property
of
a
triangle.
translations
and
later
European
mathematical
tradition,
the
word
appeared
in
philological
and
historical
discussions
of
geometry,
but
did
not
supplant
the
more
general
English
word
triangle
in
technical
writing.
of
historical,
linguistic,
or
etymological
interest.
It
may
be
encountered
in
discussions
of
the
roots
of
geometric
vocabulary
or
in
translations
of
ancient
Greek
texts.