hexagon

Meanings

1. 1nouncountablemathematics

   A flat shape with six straight sides and six corners.

   Grammar: Count it normally: one hexagon, two hexagons.

   Patterns

   • a hexagon with equal sides

   The teacher asked us to draw a hexagon with a ruler.

   Honeybees build their cells in the shape of a hexagon.

   A stop sign is an octagon, not a hexagon.

2. 2nouncountable

   Any object, tile or building with this six-sided outline.

   Grammar: Often used for patterns in design, games and nature.

   Patterns

   • a hexagon of something

   The board game uses a grid made of hexagons.

   The bathroom floor was laid with white hexagons.

   Snowflakes form a hexagon at their core.

Word forms

Common combinations

regular hexagon

A regular hexagon has six equal sides and equal angles.

draw a hexagon

She drew a hexagon around the center point.

hexagon shape

The nut has a hexagon shape so a wrench can grip it.

honeycomb of hexagons

A honeycomb of hexagons covered the screen.

tile in a hexagon

He laid the tiles in a hexagon pattern.

Synonyms and how they differ

six-sided figure

Six-sided figure is a plain-language description, whereas hexagon is the exact geometry term.

polygon

Polygon is the general word for any shape with straight sides, while hexagon names the one with exactly six.

Word family

hexagonal adjective

having six sides

hexagonally adverb

in a hexagonal pattern

hexameter noun

a line of poetry with six metrical feet

hexahedron noun

a solid with six faces, such as a cube

Commonly confused: hexagon or pentagon? hexagon or octagon?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “hexagon”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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