polygonalize
|pol-y-gon-al-ize|
🇺🇸
/ˌpɑːlɪˈɡɑːnəlaɪz/
🇬🇧
/ˌpɒlɪˈɡɒnəlaɪz/
make many-angled / convert to polygons
Etymology
'polygonalize' is formed in modern English by combining the adjective 'polygonal' with the productive verb-forming suffix '-ize' (from Greek/Latin via French), creating a verb meaning 'make polygonal'.
'polygonal' itself comes from 'polygon' + adjectival '-al'; 'polygon' derives from Greek 'polygōnon' (from 'poly-' meaning 'many' and 'gōnia' meaning 'angle'). The suffix '-ize' comes from Greek '-izein' via Latin and Old French and entered English as a common verb-forming element.
Initially, the elements meant 'many' and 'angle' (for 'polygon'); over time, compounds and derivations produced words for 'having many angles' and then verbs meaning 'make into many-angled form' — hence the modern specialized meaning 'convert to polygons' used especially in computing.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
to convert or represent a shape, surface, or model using polygons (often in computer graphics or geometry).
The tool can polygonalize a smooth 3D mesh to create a low-polygon version for real-time rendering.
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Verb 2
to approximate a curve or continuous boundary by a sequence of straight-edged polygon segments.
To speed up collision checks, the algorithm polygonalizes curved outlines into a series of straight segments.
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Last updated: 2025/11/06 10:41