tangram

noun

tan·​gram ˈtaŋ-grəm How to pronounce tangram (audio)
ˈtan-
: a Chinese puzzle made by cutting a square of thin material into five triangles, a square, and a rhomboid which are capable of being recombined in many different figures

Illustration of tangram

Illustration of tangram

Examples of tangram in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Then came the writers’ strike, and the actors’ strike, and the tangram of the talents’ schedules and projects. Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024 Tangrams Plus Tangrams Plus is based on the ancient Chinese tangram puzzles. cleveland, 16 Mar. 2020 Each branch has a set of large tangram blocks — interlocking pieces that can be built with and used as movable seats. Katherine Nails, Philly.com, 21 June 2018 Math activities in the classroom featured the creation of math tangram puzzles, math scavenger hunts, math puzzles, etc. Julie A. Short/special To Cleveland.com, cleveland.com, 29 Dec. 2017

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from Chinese (Beijing) táng Chinese + English -gram

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tangram was in 1818

Dictionary Entries Near tangram

Cite this Entry

“Tangram.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tangram. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

tangram

noun
tan·​gram ˈtaŋ-grəm How to pronounce tangram (audio)
ˈtan-
: a Chinese puzzle made by cutting a square of thin material into a number of pieces which can be recombined into many different figures
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!