Where does “trapezium” come from?
Trapezium comes from Late Latin trapezium, from Ancient Greek τραπέζιον, derived from τράπεζα meaning table, ultimately from roots meaning three and foot.
trapezium (English): A four-sided polygon with two sides parallel; A...
Definitions
- A four-sided polygon with two sides parallel; A...
Ancestry of “trapezium”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Late Latin | trapezium | trapezium, trapezoid |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | τραπέζιον | irregular quadrilateral; little table; small... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | τράπεζα | a table |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | *τετράπεζα | — |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | πέζα | foot, edge; foot, instep, bottom; -footed,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | πούς | foot; leg; Greek foot or pous, the ancient Greek... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pṓds | foot |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | póds | foot |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ped- | to walk, to step; to stumble, to fall |