† traˈpezia Obs.
[mod.L. trapezia, adj. fem. f. trapezium, used absol. for trapezia figura trapezial figure or shape.]
A quadrilateral figure other than a parallelogram; the ‘trapezium’ of Euclid, comprising the later trapezium and trapezoid.
| 1631 De la Main (title) The making, description, and use of a small portable Instrument for the Pocket..in form of a mixt Trapezia thus called a Horizontall Quadrant. 1693 J. Wing Heptarchia Math. 64 A Table shewing the Area of Right-line Figures, as Squares, Triangles, and Trapezia's. 1752 A. Fletcher Univ. Measurer i. 98 To reduce a Trapezia ABCD to a triangle. 1766 Compl. Farmer s.v. Surveying, Quadrangular figures..are either parallelograms or trapesias. |