Prefixes in Geometry
There are many new words you must know to be able to describe shapes and a solid luckily there is a
pattern to the way these words are used.
Meaning Prefix Shape Solid Star
Three 3 Tri Triangle
Quadrilateral
Four 4 Quad
Tetragon Tetrahedron
Four 4 Tetra Tetragram
(rarely used)
Five 5 Penta Pentagon Pentahedron Pentagram
Hexahedron
Cube
Six 6 Hexa Hexagon Hexagram
Seven 7 Hepta Heptagon Heptahedron Heptagram
Octagon
Eight 8 Octa Octahedron Octagram
Nine 9 Nona Nonagon Nonahedron Nonagram
Ten 10 Deca Decagon Decahedron Decagram
Twelve 12 Dodeca Dodecagon Dodecahedron Dodecagram
Hexadecagram
Sixteen 16 Hexadeca
Twenty 20 Icosa Icosagon Icosahedron Icosagram
One hundred 100 Hecto hectogram
Many Poly Polygon Polyhedron
Look at the table above. What do you think the suffix gon mean?
Look at the table above .What do you think the suffix hedron mean?
Why do you think there are two different prefixes for four?
Septa is often used for seven. Hepta is from the Greek and Septa from Latin)
Hannah Smith Page 1 2/11/2011
Geometry Literacy
Using a Dictionary and the information on the front of this sheet to identify the number prefix and to
find the meanings of the following words:
Word Number Meaning
biannual 2
biennial
bilingual
decilitre
decimate
hectopascal 100
hectostere
hexameter
hexapod
icosander
nonagenarian 90 A person in their Nineties. E.g. someone who is 92 years old.
nonagesimal
octave
octogenarian 80
Hannah Smith Page 2 2 November 2011
Geometry Literacy
Word Number Meaning
pentacle
pentathlon
quadrennial
quadruple
quadruplet
septuagenarian
septuple
sextuple 6
sextuplet
tetralogy
tetrameter
triennial
trilogy
triplicate
Hannah Smith Page 3 2 November 2011
Geometry Literacy
Some of our words
for numbers come from the Latin
language and some come from the Ancient
Greek language. The Ancient Greeks were very
interested in mathematics, particular in Geometry,
which is why most of our names for the shapes and
solids are derived from Ancient Greek words.
Greek Latin Meaning
Tetra Quatra 4
Icosa viginti 20
Hepta Centum 100
The Latin word for 100 was Centum and the numeral
that the Roman’s used to represent 100 was a C.
Here are some examples of words that use the Latin
prefix Cent
Centenarian someone who is at least 100 years old
Centennial occurring every 100 years
Centurion a officer in the Roman Army who
commanded 100 men. (A unit of 100
men was called a Century.
Task
Find two other English words that use the prefix Cent.
____________________ ______________________
Research:
Find out why September is the
ninth month of the year and not
the seventh month of the year
as its name suggests?
Task
Write down the words on page 1 that come from Latin.
Hint: there are only two.
____________________________________________
Hannah Smith Page 4 2 November 2011
Geometry Literacy