polygone

Forms

polygone m (plural polygones)^[1] Middle French poligone (1520), polygone (1567).^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin polygōnum (“polygon”),^[2][3][4][5] from Ancient Greek πολύγωνος (polúgōnos, “having many angles”), used as a noun in the neuter πολύγωνον (polúgōnon).^[2][1] The Greek word is formed from πολύς (polús, “many”) and γωνία (gōnía, “angle”).^[4][6][7] French took it, like pentagone, as a Latinized Greek word.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In 1520 P. Verney's geometry handbook, printed at Metz, uses poligone both as an adjective, “having several angles”, and as a noun for the figure.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The adjective survived in arithmetic, where Furetière (1690) records nombre poligone and Littré still lists nombres polygones, but it was replaced by the derivative polygonal towards the end of the 19th century.^[2][8][3]

In fortification the word named the outline of a fortress (1690 in Furetière; 1640 according to the Petit Robert), and then a shooting ground for artillery, whatever its shape: the French ranges were set up on 23 June 1720.^[2][9][3][4] Mechanics added polygone funiculaire (1811) and polygone de forces, and physiology polygone de sustentation, the area within which the centre of gravity must fall.^[2][3] In the 20th century biology and statistics took up polygone de fréquence.^[2]

Timeline

• 1520 – Poligone, adjective and noun, in P. Verney's geometry.^[2]
• 1567 – Spelled polygone in J. Besson's Cosmolabe.^[2]
• 1690 – Furetière records the term of fortification and nombre poligone.^[2]
• 1720 – The French artillery ranges called polygones are created.^[2][4]
• 1811 – Poisson uses polygone funiculaire.^[2]
• 1812 – First record of the sense “training ground for gunners”.^[2]
• 1924 – Polygone de fréquence in biology.^[2]
• 1941 – Polygone de sustentation is recorded.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (geometry) A polygon, a plane figure bounded by a closed line of straight segments.^[2][9][5]
2. Polygone régulier: a polygon whose sides and angles are all equal.^[2][9]
3. (fortification) The polygon that gives the general outline of a fortress.^[9][8][6]
4. (military) A firing range where gunners train: polygone de tir.^[9][5][6]
5. (mechanics) Polygone de forces: a polygon of vectors representing forces in equilibrium.^[9][2]
6. Polygone de sustentation: the area of support containing the projection of the centre of gravity.^[2][9]
7. (statistics) Polygone des fréquences: a frequency polygon.^[2]

Word family

• polygonal
• polygonation

Related words

• -gone
• poly-
• pentagone
• hexagone
• Ancient Greek πολύγωνος (polúgōnos)

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
6. ^ a b c Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
7. ^ Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert