TRAPEZIUM

trapezium, trapezium bone, os trapezium

(noun) the wrist bone on the thumb side of the hand that articulates with the 1st and 2nd metacarpals

Trapezium

(noun) a multiple star in the constellation of Orion

trapezium

(noun) a quadrilateral with no parallel sides

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

trapezium (plural trapeziums or trapezia)

(geometry, British, AU, NZ) A four-sided polygon with two sides parallel

(geometry, US, dated) A four-sided polygon with no parallel sides and no sides equal; a simple convex irregular quadrilateral.

(anatomy) The trapezium bone of the wrist.

A region on the ventral side of the brain, either just back of the pons Varolii, or, as in man, covered by the posterior extension of its transverse fibers.

Usage notes

• (geometry): The terms trapezium and trapezoid have swapped meanings in the US and Canada as compared with the rest of the world.

Synonyms

• (archaic) trapeze

• (geometry, British, four-sided polygon with two parallel sides): (US) trapezoid

• (geometry, US, four-sided polygon with no sides parallel and no equal sides): (British) trapezoid, (British) irregular quadrilateral.

Source: Wiktionary

Tra*pe"zi*um, n.; pl. E. Trapeziums, L. Trapezia. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Tetra-) + Foot.]

1. (Geom.)

Definition: A plane figure bounded by four right lines, of which no two are parallel.

2. (Anat.) (a) A bone of the carpus at the base of the first metacarpal, or thumb. (b) A region on the ventral side of the brain, either just back of the pons Varolii, or, as in man, covered by the posterior extension of its transverse fibers.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition