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Explore 50+ Common English Vocabulary Words for Geometric Shapes!

Geometric shapes in English are frequently encountered in everyday life, especially in the field of mathematics. In today's article, PREP will help you compile all the most common vocabulary related to geometric shapes in English and effective study methods. Let's take a look right away!

I. Compilation of Vocabulary Related to Geometric Shapes in English
II. Interactive Sentence Patterns for Learning Geometric Shapes in English
III. Vocabulary Exercises on Geometric Shapes in English
1. 1. Exercise
2. 2. Answer keys
IV. Guidelines for Learning English Vocabulary About Geometric Shapes

I. Compilation of Vocabulary Related to Geometric Shapes in English

First, let’s explore all the most common vocabulary words relating to geometric shapes in English that we often encounter in our daily lives!

1. Vocabulary for 2D Shapes

First, let's look at the English vocabulary for shapes on a 2D plane, which are the most basic shapes we need to know in the table below:

English vocabulary about geometric shapes
Word	Meaning	Example
Circle /ˈsɜːrkl/	A round shape with all points equidistant from the center.	The children drew circles on the paper using different colored markers.
Ellipse /ɪˈlɪps/	An elongated circle, creating an oval shape; the set of points where the sum of the distances to two focal points is constant.	The design of this modern architectural structure incorporates ellipses.
Triangle /ˈtraɪˌæŋɡəl/	A polygon with three edges and three vertices.	The roof of the house has a triangular shape.
Isosceles triangle /ˌaɪsəʊˈsiːlz ˈtraɪˌæŋɡəl/	A triangle with at least two sides of equal length.	The flag of this organization has an isosceles triangle in the center.
Equilateral triangle /ˌiːkwɪˈlætərəl ˈtraɪˌæŋɡəl/	A triangle where all three sides and angles are equal.	The three sides of an equilateral triangle are of equal length.
Right triangle /raɪt ˈtraɪˌæŋɡəl/	A triangle with one angle measuring 90 degrees.	The Pythagorean theorem is used to calculate the lengths of the sides of a right triangle.
Quadrilateral /kwɒˈdrɪˌlætərəl/	A polygon with four edges and four vertices.	A square and a rectangle are examples of quadrilaterals.
Pentagon /’pentəgən/	A polygon with five edges and five vertices.	The shape of this building resembles a pentagon, hence the name.
Hexagon /'heksægən/	A polygon with six edges and six vertices.	The honeycomb of a beehive is made up of hexagonal cells.
Octagon /ʼɔktǝgǝn/	A polygon with eight edges and eight vertices.	These playing areas are designed in the shape of an octagon.
Nonagon /'npnǝgǝn/	A polygon with nine edges and nine vertices.	The design of the park's fountain features a nonagon shape.
Trapezoid /ˈtræpəˌzɔɪd/	A four-sided figure (quadrilateral) with at least one pair of parallel sides.	The roof of the building has a trapezoid shape.
Square /skwɛr/	A polygon with four equal sides and four right angles.	The tiles on the floor are arranged in a square pattern.
Rectangle /ˈrɛkˌtæŋɡəl/	A polygon with four sides where opposite sides are equal and all angles are right angles.	The architect designed the modern house with large floor-to-ceiling windows, each in the shape of a rectangle.
Oval /'ouvəl/	A shape resembling an elongated circle or ellipse; generally, a smooth, rounded shape.	The mirror in the bathroom has an oval shape.
Parallelogram /ˌpærəˈlɛləɡræm/	A four-sided figure (quadrilateral) with opposite sides that are parallel and equal in length.	The logo of the company is a parallelogram with slanted lines.
Diamond /ˈdaɪmənd/	A geometric shape typically resembling a rhombus; often associated with a square oriented at a 45-degree angle.	The design of the logo features a rhombus shape, with all four sides of equal length.
Star /stɑ:/	A shape with points extending outward from a central area, resembling a star.	The children glued glitter onto construction paper to create beautiful star-shaped decorations for the classroom.
Crescent /ˈkrɛsənt/	A shape that resembles the moon in its first or last quarter; it is formed when one circle is partially overlaid on another.	The moon was in the shape of a crescent.
Heart /ha:t/	A shape resembling a stylized representation of the human heart, often used to symbolize love.	He drew a heart on the Valentine's Day card for his girlfriend.
Arrow /'ærou/	A shape that represents a pointed end, typically used to indicate direction; often consisting of a line with a pointed head at one end.	The arrow pointed in the direction of the hiking trail.

2. Vocabulary for Polyhedra

Vocabulary related to polyhedra in English will frequently appear in mathematical problems and academic materials describing geometry, so let’s take a look!

English vocabulary about geometric shapes
Word	Meaning	Example
Sphere /sfɪər/	A perfectly round three-dimensional shape where every point on the surface is equidistant from the center.	The Earth is approximately a sphere.
Cone /koʊn/	A three-dimensional shape that tapers smoothly from a flat base to a single point called the apex.	The ice cream was served in a sugar cone.
Pyramid /ˈpɪrəmɪd/	A three-dimensional shape with a polygonal base and triangular faces that converge at a single point (the apex).	The Great Pyramid of Giza is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Tetrahedron /ˌtɛtrəˈhiːdrən/	A polyhedron with four triangular faces, six straight edges, and four vertex corners; the simplest form of a three-dimensional shape.	The dice used in board games are often in the shape of a tetrahedron.
Cube /kjuːb/	A three-dimensional shape with six equal square faces, twelve equal edges, and eight vertices; a type of regular hexahedron.	The Rubik's Cube is a popular puzzle toy.
Prism /ˈprɪzəm/	A three-dimensional shape with two parallel faces (the bases) that are congruent polygons, and other faces that are parallelograms.	The light passing through a prism can create a rainbow.
Octahedron /ˌɒktəˈhiːdrən/	A polyhedron with eight triangular faces, twelve edges, and six vertices; it can be thought of as two square pyramids with their bases joined together.	The crystal pendant hanging from her necklace was in the shape of an octahedron.
Cylinder /ˈsɪlɪndər/	A three-dimensional shape with two parallel circular bases connected by a curved surface at a fixed distance from the center.	The can of soda is shaped like a cylinder.

3. Basic Geometric Terms

When providing in-depth descriptions of structures and measurements, you need to refer to the following basic geometric terms:

English vocabulary about geometric shapes
Word	Example	Example
Point /pɔɪnt/	A specific location in space that has no dimensions, represented by a dot; it is defined by a set of coordinates.	The teacher used a red marker to mark a point on the map.
Line segment /laɪn ˈsɛɡmənt/	A part of a line that is bounded by two distinct endpoints, having a definite length.	The line segment AB connects points A and B on the coordinate plane.
Angle /ˈæŋɡəl/	The figure formed by two rays (sides) that share a common endpoint (the vertex); it measures the rotation needed to align one ray with the other.	The angle between the two intersecting lines was 90 degrees.
Perimeter /pəˈrɪmɪtər/	The total length of the edges or boundary of a two-dimensional shape; it is the sum of the lengths of all sides.	The perimeter of a square with sides of length 5 cm is 20 cm.
Area /ˈɛəriə/	The measure of the amount of space enclosed within the boundaries of a two-dimensional shape; it is expressed in square units.	The area of a rectangle with a length of 6 meters and a width of 4 meters is 24 square meters.
Volume /ˈvɒljuːm/	The measure of the amount of space occupied by a three-dimensional object; it is expressed in cubic units.	The volume of a cube with edges of length 3 cm is 27 cubic centimeters.

4. Vocabulary for Patterns and Measurements

Finally, here are some vocabulary words related to patterns and measuring the dimensions of geometric shapes in the table below:

English vocabulary about geometric shapes
Word	Meaning	Example
Striped /straɪp/	A pattern consisting of parallel lines that can vary in width, spacing, and color, typically running in one direction.	She wore a dress with blue and white striped patterns.
Checkered /ˈtʃek.əd/	A pattern made of squares of alternating colors, often resembling a chessboard or a plaid design.	The picnic blanket had a red and white checkered design.
Polka Dots /ˈpɒl.kə dɒt/	A pattern consisting of large, evenly spaced circles, often used in fabric and design.	The girl's skirt was decorated with colorful polka dots.
Checkered Pattern /ˈtʃek.əd ˈpæt.ən/	A pattern characterized by the arrangement of squares in alternating colors, similar to a checkered board.	The tablecloth had a checkered pattern similar to a chessboard.
Camouflage /ˈkæm.ə.flɑːʒ/	A pattern designed to conceal or disguise by blending in with the environment, often featuring a mix of colors and shapes.	The soldiers wore uniforms with camouflage patterns to blend into their surroundings.
Cow Print /kaʊ prɪnt/	A pattern that mimics the appearance of a cow's black and white spots.	The nursery room was decorated with curtains and bedding featuring a cow print.
Tartan /ˈtɑː.tən/	A pattern of crisscrossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colors; traditionally associated with Scottish heritage and clan designs.	The traditional Scottish kilt is often made from fabric with tartan patterns.
Length /leŋθ/	The measurement of something from end to end; commonly refers to the longest dimension of an object.	The length of the table is 2 meters.
Width /wɪtθ/	The measurement of something from side to side; it refers to the shorter dimension relative to length.	The width of the bookshelf is 80 centimeters.
Height /haɪt/	The measurement of how tall something is; it is the vertical dimension from base to top.	The height of the mountain is over 3,000 meters.
Breadth /bredθ/	A term often used interchangeably with width, referring to the extent of an object from side to side.	The breadth of the river is 50 meters.
Short /ʃɔːt/	Having a small length or duration; not long in measurement.	The length of the pencil is short, only 10 centimeters.
Large /lɑːdʒ/	Great in size, extent, or capacity; opposite of small.	The painting hanging on the wall is large, taking up most of the space.
Small /smɔːl/	Little in size, quantity, or degree; opposite of large.	The box is small and can fit in the palm of your hand.

II. Interactive Sentence Patterns for Learning Geometric Shapes in English

When learning vocabulary for geometric shapes in English, you can use some of the question-and-answer sentence patterns below to interact with young children while learning:

Interactive Sentence Patterns for Learning Geometric Shapes in English

Example

Q: What shape is this/that?

A: This/That is a _____ shape.

Q: What shape is this?

A: This is a cube shape.

Q: What shape is that?

A: That is a sphere shape.

Q: What shape is _____?

A: _____ is _____.

Q: What shape is a table?

A: Table is rectangular.

Q: What shape is a pencil?

A: Pencil is long and cylindrical.

III. Vocabulary Exercises on Geometric Shapes in English

After learning the vocabulary related to geometric shapes in English, let's review through some small exercises below!

1. Exercise

Exercise 1: Circle the correct answer.

1. A ball is shaped like a ___.

A. Cube
B. Sphere
C. Cylinder

2. A soda can is shaped like a ___.

A. Pyramid
B. Cylinder
C. Cone

3. A party hat is shaped like a ___.

A. Cylinder
B. Cube
C. Cone

4. A water bottle is shaped like a ___.

A. Pyramid
B. Cone
C. Cylinder

5. A dice is shaped like a ___.

A. Cylinder
B. Cube
C. Cone

6. An ice cream cone is shaped like a ___.

A. Pyramid
B. Cone
C. Cylinder

Exercise 2: Fill in the blank with the name of the geometric shape:

1. A _____ has a circular base and a curved surface.

2. A _____ has a triangular base and three triangular faces.

3. A _____ has a circular base and a pointed top.

4. A _____ is a four-sided polygon with opposite sides that are equal in length and four right angles.

2. Answer keys

Exercise 1	1. B	2. B	3. C	4. C
Exercise 1	5. B	6. B
Exercise 2	1. Cylinder	2. Pyramid	3. Cone	4. Rectangle

IV. Guidelines for Learning English Vocabulary About Geometric Shapes

How can you effectively learn vocabulary related to geometric shapes in English? Let’s explore some methods together with PREP!

1. Learn Vocabulary with Images

When studying vocabulary related to geometric shapes, using images is a useful method for visualizing the meaning of the words and creating a connection between the vocabulary and real-life images, which helps learners remember and associate the vocabulary more easily. Therefore, you can create vocabulary flashcards with a picture of a geometric shape on one side and the name of that shape in English on the back of the flashcard.

For example, if you are learning about a cylinder, you could create a flashcard with an image of a cylindrical water bottle on the front and write the word "cylinder" /ˈsɪlɪndər/ on the back of the flashcard.

2. Learn Through the Geometric Shapes of Objects Around You

When learning with young children, you should take advantage of household items and toys to help them recognize and associate vocabulary with basic geometric shapes. Use everyday objects that have basic geometric shapes, such as a cylindrical water bottle, a round plate, a rectangular tray, and square floor tiles, to help children recognize and connect English vocabulary about geometric shapes to their daily lives.

Additionally, you can provide children with some building toy sets or Lego so they can connect shapes together. This combination of play and learning makes the experience much more engaging for them.

3. Learn Through English Songs About Shapes

Learning through songs about geometric shapes in English can enhance interest and make it easier to remember vocabulary. This method is particularly effective for children aged 3-6, who have shown a remarkable ability to absorb lessons through music. There are several songs on YouTube that you can refer to, such as "Shapes Song for Kids," "Shapes Are All Around," "Dance with Shapes," "Sing Along Shapes Song," and "The Shape Song."

In this article, PREP has compiled all the most common English vocabulary related to geometric shapes, along with practice exercises and detailed answers, as well as optimized learning methods. Be sure to save this information for effective study and practice! Wishing you success in mastering the language!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.