triangle

B2 Topic:Mathematics & Measurement

US /ˈtɹaɪˌæŋɡəl/ UK /ˈtɹaɪəŋɡəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #7828

Meanings

1

noun
A flat shape with three straight sides and three angles.

The teacher asked us to measure the angles of the triangle.
2

noun
A situation involving three people, especially a romantic one.

The novel centres on a love triangle between three old friends.
3

noun
A percussion instrument made of a metal bar bent into a triangle shape.

She played the triangle in the school orchestra.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a flat shape with three... trigon

2 noun · a situation involving three... love triangle

Word family

Forms triangles

Derived forms anti-triangletriangle-freetrianglertrianglisttriangulartriangulatetriangulation

Appears in

Phrases (3)

See all

Idioms (1)

See all

eternal triangle
a persistent love rivalry among three people whose attachments conflict

Simplified etymology

Triangle entered English in the late Middle Ages and comes from the same Greek word meaning “three” that underlies triad.

Etymology

PIE word *tréyes From Middle English triangle, from Old French triangle, from Latin triangulum, noun use of adjective triangulus (“three-cornered, having three angles”), from trēs (“three”) + angulus (“corner, angle”), equivalent to tri- + -angle.

triangle Middle English triangulum Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Mathematics & Measurement

External links

# triangle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈtɹaɪˌæŋɡəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈtɹaɪəŋɡəl/
**Frequency rank:** 7828

## Meanings
1. A flat shape with three straight sides and three angles.
2. A situation involving three people, especially a romantic one.
3. A percussion instrument made of a metal bar bent into a triangle shape.

## Examples
- The teacher asked us to measure the angles of the triangle.
- The novel centres on a love triangle between three old friends.
- She played the triangle in the school orchestra.

## Derived Forms
- anti-triangle
- triangle-free
- triangler
- trianglist
- triangular
- triangulate
- triangulation

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: triangle
- Root: triangulum
- Affix: tri- - three

## Etymology
PIE word *tréyes From Middle English triangle, from Old French triangle, from Latin triangulum, noun use of adjective triangulus (“three-cornered, having three angles”), from trēs (“three”) + angulus (“corner, angle”), equivalent to tri- + -angle.

## AI Etymology
Triangle is from Middle English triangle, from Old French triangle, from Latin triangulum, noun use of adjective triangulus (“three-cornered, having three angles”), from trēs (“three”) + angulus (“corner, angle”), equivalent to tri- + -angle. The historical line also includes Middle English triangle, Old French triangle, Latin triangulum. In present-day use, it can mean a flat shape with three straight sides and three angles, or a situation involving three people, especially a romantic one. Derived formations include anti-triangle, triangle-free, triangler, trianglist, triangular, triangulate, triangulation.

## Topics
- Mathematics & Measurement

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