parallelogram

noun

par·​al·​lel·​o·​gram ˌper-ə-ˈle-lə-ˌgram How to pronounce parallelogram (audio)
ˌpa-rə-
: a quadrilateral with opposite sides parallel and equal

Examples of parallelogram in a Sentence

Rectangles, squares, and rhombuses are all parallelograms.
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.
In a periodic tiling, the arrangement of tiles repeats in a regular pattern determined by an infinite grid of parallelograms. Craig S. Kaplan, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2024 Laid out in somewhat of a parallelogram, this district has houses that date back to before the Civil War. Trudy Haywood Saunders, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2024 Bring the square behind the parallelogram, and the triangle at top in front of the square that is now below it. Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 5 Jan. 2024 Some have a little piano keyboard while others have a grid of black and white buttons set roughly in the shape of a parallelogram. IEEE Spectrum, 23 Dec. 2022 See all Example Sentences for parallelogram 

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin or Greek; Late Latin parallelogrammum, from Greek parallēlogrammon, from neuter of parallēlogrammos bounded by parallel lines, from parallēlos + grammē line, from graphein to write — more at carve

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of parallelogram was in 1570

Dictionary Entries Near parallelogram

Cite this Entry

“Parallelogram.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parallelogram. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

parallelogram

noun
par·​al·​lel·​o·​gram ˌpar-ə-ˈlel-ə-ˌgram How to pronounce parallelogram (audio)
: a four-sided figure whose opposite sides are parallel and of equal length

More from Merriam-Webster on parallelogram

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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