Definition:Isosceles

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Definition

Isosceles Triangle

An isosceles triangle is a triangle in which two sides are the same length.

IsoscelesTriangle.png


Isosceles Trapezium

An isosceles trapezium is a trapezium whose legs are the same length.

Isosceles-Trapezium.png


Linguistic Note

The word isosceles comes from the Greek: $\iota \sigma \omicron \sigma \kappa \epsilon \lambda \epsilon \varsigma$, that is: from iso meaning equal, and skelos meaning leg.

Thus an isosceles triangle is literally an equal-leg triangle.


It is pronounced eye-sos-ell-eez, that is, with the emphasis on the second syllable. Note that the c is silent.


The word skeleton comes from the same linguistic root.