platonic solid

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Word: Platonic Solid

Part of Speech: Noun

Explanation:

A "platonic solid" is a special type of three-dimensional shape in geometry. There are five different kinds of platonic solids. Each of these solids has faces that are all the same shape (called regular polygons), and the angles where the faces meet are also the same (called polyhedral angles).

The Five Platonic Solids:

1. Tetrahedron - 4 triangular faces
2. Cube (or Hexahedron) - 6 square faces
3. Octahedron - 8 triangular faces
4. Dodecahedron - 12 pentagonal faces
5. Icosahedron - 20 triangular faces

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "platonic solid" when discussing geometry, architecture, or art that involves three-dimensional shapes.
• It's often used in mathematical contexts or when talking about symmetry and regularity in shapes.

Example Sentence:

• "In my geometry class, we learned that a cube is one type of platonic solid because all of its faces are squares."

Advanced Usage:

• In higher mathematics or physics, the concept of platonic solids can be related to symmetry groups and can be important in fields like crystallography or molecular biology.

Word Variants:

• Platonic (adjective) - This generally refers to the philosophy of Plato, but in geometry, it relates to the ideal forms that platonic solids represent.
• Solid (noun) - A three-dimensional shape.

Different Meanings:

• Outside geometry, "platonic" can refer to a relationship that is close but not romantic or sexual. For example, "They have a platonic friendship."

Synonyms:

• There are no direct synonyms for "platonic solid," but you might refer to them as "regular polyhedra" in some contexts.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs related to "platonic solid," but you might encounter phrases like "in solid form" when describing something that is stable and not liquid or gas.

Summary:

A platonic solid is a beautiful and symmetrical shape that is fundamental in geometry, representing perfection and balance in three-dimensional forms.

Academic

Noun

1. any one of five solids whose faces are congruent regular polygons and whose polyhedral angles are all congruent

Synonyms

• regular polyhedron
• regular convex solid
• regular convex polyhedron
• Platonic body
• Platonic solid
• ideal solid