'polytope' originates from Greek elements 'poly-' and 'topos', where 'poly-' meant 'many' and 'topos' meant 'place' or 'region'. The term was formed in modern mathematical usage from these Greek roots.

'polytope' was coined in modern (mathematical) usage by combining the Greek prefix 'poly-' with a form derived from 'topos' ('place'); it entered mathematical vocabulary (via New Latin/modern languages) as a term for multi-faced figures.

Initially the components literally conveyed 'many places' or 'many regions'; over time the composite 'polytope' came to mean a multi-faced geometric figure (in any dimension), a precise mathematical object.