<p>I personally wouldn't like to describe non-closed piecewise linear curves as polygons. You might find <em>polyline</em> a better word to describe it. A <em>polyline</em> is a collection of connected straight line segments.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-16T09:59:27.450Z
2023-11-16T09:59:27.450Z
Reynolds
<p>In Wikipedia, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygon" rel="nofollow noreferrer">polygon</a> is defined as a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonal_chain" rel="nofollow noreferrer"> closed polygonal chain</a>. In other words, the term &quot;polygon&quot; implies that the curve is closed.</p>
<p>My question is: Is it common to refer to non-closed, piecewise linear curves as &quot;polygons&quot;, too? Otherwise, is there a different term that describes general polygonal chains (other than &quot;polygonal chain&quot; which I find a bit long)?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-17T00:02:37.843Z
Doesn't that first depend on what's actually said at which bit of Wikipedia?

Further, do piecewise linear curves generically include straight lines?
Robbie Goodwin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-17T14:05:20.257Z
@RobbieGoodwin Yes, I'd say that a single straight line is a special case of a piecewise linear curve.
Amos Egel
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-18T00:09:39.573Z
That does make sense, and does it not also imply that all straight lines are 'merely' special cases of curves?
Robbie Goodwin
<polygon>
Nomenclature: Other word for non-closed polygon?
Amos Egel
# Nomenclature: Other word for non-closed polygon?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-11-16)

In Wikipedia, a [polygon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygon) is defined as a  [closed polygonal chain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonal_chain). In other words, the term "polygon" implies that the curve is closed.

My question is: Is it common to refer to non-closed, piecewise linear curves as "polygons", too? Otherwise, is there a different term that describes general polygonal chains (other than "polygonal chain" which I find a bit long)?

**Tags:** polygon

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Doesn't that first depend on what's actually said at which bit of Wikipedia?  Further, do piecewise linear curves generically include straight lines?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Yes, I'd say that a single straight line is a special case of a piecewise linear curve.  
> **username_1**: That does make sense, and does it not also imply that all straight lines are 'merely' special cases of curves?  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-11-16. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

I personally wouldn't like to describe non-closed piecewise linear curves as polygons. You might find *polyline* a better word to describe it. A *polyline* is a collection of connected straight line segments.


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