Triangle

Pronunciation

• enPR: trÄ«'-ăng-gÉ™l, IPA: /ˈtraɪæŋɡəl/

Origin

From Old French triangle, from Latin triangulum, noun use of neuter of adjective triangulus ("three-cornered, having three angles"), from trēs ("three") + angulus ("corner, angle").

Full definition of triangle

Noun

1. (geometry) A polygon with three sides and three angles.
2. (music) A percussion instrument made by forming a metal rod into a triangular shape which is open at one angle. It is suspended from a string and hit with a metal bar to make a resonant sound.
3. (cue sports) A triangular piece of equipment used for gathering the balls into the formation required by the game being played.
4. A love triangle.
• 2009, Neil McDonald, Quadrant, November 2009, No. 461 (Volume LIII, Number 11), Quadrant Magazine Limited, page 104:One of the writers' most pleasing inventions was to treat the triangle love story as comedy.
5. (systemics) The structure of systems composed with three interrelated objects.
6. A draughtsman's square in the form of a right-angled triangle.
7. (historical) A frame formed of three poles stuck in the ground and united at the top, to which soldiers were bound when undergoing corporal punishment.

Synonyms

• (polygon) trigon rare
• (love triangle) love triangle, menage à trois

Derived terms

Anagrams

• alerting
• altering
• integral
• relating