List of 100 Shapes Names in English with Pictures

A shape is the form or outline of something we can see, made by its edges, corners, or curves. Shapes can be flat like squares or solid like cubes. Learning shape names helps students understand space, spot patterns, and learn important math ideas. This list of 100 shapes names in English with pictures is made for students, teachers, and beginners who want to learn about polygons, solid figures, and other common shapes used in classrooms, geometry, and math lessons.

What Are Shapes?

A shape is the form or outline of an object. It can be two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D). Shapes help us describe and recognize objects based on how they look. In English, learning shape names is important for school subjects like math, science, and everyday communication.

Examples:

  • A circle is like a coin or the moon.
  • A square looks like a tile or a checkerboard.
  • A triangle is shaped like a slice of pizza.

Basic 2D Shapes Names in English with Meanings

Below is a list of common 2D shapes with pictures and simple meanings:

Circle

A circle is a round shape with no corners or edges. Examples: Clock, wheel, coin

Square

A square has 4 equal sides and 4 right angles. Examples: Tile, window, chessboard

Triangle

A triangle has 3 sides and 3 corners. Examples: Pizza slice, traffic sign, hanger

Rectangle

A rectangle has 4 sides with opposite sides equal and 4 right angles. Examples: Book, door, mobile screen

Oval

An oval looks like a stretched circle. Examples: Egg, mirror, rug

Pentagon

A pentagon has 5 straight sides. Examples: Pentagon building, home plate in baseball

Hexagon

A hexagon has 6 sides. Examples: Honeycomb, nuts and bolts

Octagon

An octagon has 8 sides. Examples: Stop sign, bathroom tile

3D Shapes Names in English with Examples

3D shapes have depth, height, and width. Below is a list of 3D shapes with real-life examples:

Cube

A cube has 6 equal square faces. Examples: Dice, gift box, ice cube

Sphere

A sphere is a round 3D shape. Examples: Ball, globe, marble

Cylinder

A cylinder has 2 flat circular ends and one curved side. Examples: Can, battery, drum

Cone

A cone has a circular base and a pointed top. Examples: Ice cream cone, party hat, traffic cone

Pyramid

A pyramid has a base and triangular sides that meet at a point. Examples: Egyptian pyramid, tent, chocolate Toblerone

Rectangular Prism

A rectangular prism has 6 rectangular faces. Examples: Brick, book, shoebox

Hemisphere

A hemisphere is half of a sphere. Examples: Bowl, dome, half orange

Tetrahedron

A tetrahedron has 4 triangular faces. Examples: Triangular pyramid, dice (with 4 sides)

Shapes Names for Kids with pictures
Shapes Names for Kids with pictures

Common Shapes Used in Daily Life and Their Uses

Below is a list of commonly seen shapes around us:

  • Heart — Seen in valentine cards, emojis, jewelry
  • Star — Seen in flags, Christmas decorations, ratings
  • Arrow — Seen in signs, road directions, digital icons
  • Diamond — Seen in kites, cards, rings
  • Crescent — Seen in moon, Islamic symbols, logos
  • Cross — Seen in hospitals, churches, first aid kits
  • Spiral — Seen in snail shells, stairs, notebook bindings

Geometric Shapes Names with Definitions

Names of 2D Geometric Shapes

  • Equilateral Triangle — All sides and angles are equal
  • Isosceles Triangle — Two sides are equal
  • Scalene Triangle — No equal sides
  • Right Triangle — One 90-degree angle
  • Trapezoid — One pair of parallel sides
  • Parallelogram — Opposite sides are parallel
  • Rhombus — All sides equal, opposite angles equal
  • Kite — Two pairs of equal adjacent sides
  • Decagon — 10 sides
  • Dodecagon — 12 sides

Names of 3D Geometric Shapes

  • Sphere — Round solid shape
  • Cube — All edges equal, square faces
  • Rectangular Prism — Like a stretched cube
  • Cone — Circle base, pointed top
  • Cylinder — Circle ends with curved side
  • Tetrahedron — Four triangular faces
  • Octahedron — Eight triangular faces
  • Dodecahedron — Twelve pentagon faces
  • Icosahedron — Twenty triangle faces

List of 100 Shapes in English with Pictures

Below is a table of 100 shapes with their types, brief descriptions, and everyday examples. This helps you quickly learn about different shapes and where you can see them in real life.

Shape NameTypeDescriptionExample
Circle2DA round shape with no corners or edgesCoin
Square2DFour equal sides and four right anglesChessboard square
Rectangle2DOpposite sides equal with four right anglesDoor
Triangle2DA shape with three sides and three anglesRoad sign
Oval2DA stretched circle, also known as an ellipseEgg
Pentagon2DA five-sided polygonPentagon building
Hexagon2DA six-sided polygonHoneycomb cell
Heptagon2DA seven-sided polygonCoin designs
Octagon2DAn eight-sided polygonStop sign
Nonagon2DA nine-sided polygonGeometric drawing
Decagon2DA ten-sided polygonDecorative tile
Trapezoid2DA quadrilateral with one pair of parallel sidesBridge support design
Parallelogram2DOpposite sides are parallel and equalFloor tile
Rhombus2DFour equal sides with opposite angles equalKite
Star2DA polygon with multiple intersecting pointsStar symbol
Crescent2DA curved shape resembling a part of a circleMoon phase
Arrow2DA pointed shape for directionTraffic sign
Heart2DA symmetrical shape representing loveValentine decoration
Cross2DTwo intersecting lines, one vertical, one horizontalFirst aid symbol
Spiral2DA shape that winds in a curve from a central pointSnail shell
Cube3DA 3D shape with 6 equal square facesDice
Cuboid3DA box-shaped 3D figure with rectangular facesBook
Sphere3DA round 3D object, every point equidistant from centerBall
Cylinder3DA 3D shape with circular ends and straight sidesCan
Cone3DA 3D shape with a circular base tapering to a pointIce cream cone
Pyramid3DA base polygon with triangular faces meeting at a pointEgyptian pyramid
Triangular Prism3DTwo triangular bases and three rectangular facesTent
Hexagonal Prism3DA prism with hexagon basesBolt
Pentagonal Prism3DA prism with pentagon bases3D model in geometry class
Torus3DA doughnut-shaped figureLifebuoy
Hemisphere3DHalf of a sphereBowl
Tetrahedron3DA pyramid with a triangular baseTriangular toy
Dodecahedron3DA solid with 12 pentagonal facesDice for tabletop games
Icosahedron3DA solid with 20 triangular facesDecorative crystal shape
Ellipse2DA regular oval shapeRace track
Kite2DA quadrilateral with two pairs of equal adjacent sidesFlying kite
Scalene Triangle2DTriangle with all sides of different lengthsTriangle in geometry problems
Isosceles Triangle2DTriangle with two equal sidesRoof gable
Equilateral Triangle2DAll three sides are equalTraffic sign
Oblique Triangle2DTriangle without right angleDesign patterns
Right Triangle2DOne angle is 90 degreesConstruction layouts
Concave Polygon2DPolygon with at least one interior angle over 180°Abstract shape
Convex Polygon2DAll interior angles less than 180°Regular polygons
Irregular Polygon2DPolygon with unequal sides and anglesFreehand shape
Regular Polygon2DPolygon with all sides and angles equalHoneycomb
Ring2DCircular shape with hole in the centerWedding ring outline
L-shape2DResembles the letter “L”Furniture layout
U-shape2DResembles the letter “U”Sofa arrangement
Wedge3DA triangular prism used for splittingDoorstop
Ellipsoid3D3D shape stretched like an ellipseRugby ball
Oblate Spheroid3DSphere flattened at the polesEarth shape
Prolate Spheroid3DSphere elongated at the polesWatermelon
Crescent Moon2DA narrow curved shape resembling a moonLunar phase
Teardrop2DA shape like a dropletJewelry design
Leaf2DIrregular organic shape with veinsBotanical diagram
Clamshell3DRounded shape that opens like a shellCosmetic compact
Capsule3DCylindrical with rounded endsMedicine pill
Peanut Shape3DTwo lobes joined in the middlePeanut
Bell Curve2DSmooth symmetrical curveStatistical graph
Fan Shape2DWidening from a pointPaper fan
Arrowhead2DSharp pointed triangular shapeDirectional icon
Spiral Cone3DCone that spirals upwardParty hat
Dome3DHemisphere-shaped roofMosque roof
Arch2DCurved symmetrical structureBridge
Lattice2DRepeating pattern of linesGarden fencing
Net2DLayout of a 3D shape unfolded into 2DGeometry worksheet
Grid2DRepeating squares or rectangles in rows and columnsSpreadsheet
Arrow Loop2DArrow in a loop indicating repeatRecycling symbol
Chevron2DV-shaped patternMilitary badge
Zigzag2DSharp turns in alternating directionsLightning shape
Wave2DSmooth curves like ocean wavesWater symbol
Flower2DPetal-like symmetrical shapeFloral mandala
Snowflake2DFractal six-sided geometric figureWinter decoration
Spiral Staircase3DCurved vertical helical shapeArchitectural design
Knot2DLooping intertwined shapeCeltic art
Möbius Strip3DA one-sided loop with a twistTopology model
Tesseract4D/3D4D hypercube projected into 3DSci-fi design
Arrow Cross2DCross with arrow endsNavigation symbol
Yin-Yang2DCircular symbol with duality of shapeChinese philosophy
Mandala2DCircular geometric design with radial symmetryMeditation art
Tangram2DComposite shape formed from multiple piecesPuzzle
Lune2DCrescent-shaped figure formed by two intersecting arcsGeometry concept
Arc2DA part of the circumference of a circleProtractor drawing
Segment2DRegion between arc and chordPizza slice
Sector2DPortion of a circle bounded by two radiiPie chart slice
Annulus2DRing-shaped area between two concentric circlesDonut surface
Gable2DTriangular part of a wall between roof edgesHouse design
Keystone2DCentral top stone in an archRoman architecture
Prism3DSolid with identical bases and flat parallelogram sidesGlass block
Polygon2DFlat shape with straight sidesAny closed shape with straight edges
Quadrilateral2DAny shape with four sidesWindow pane
Polyhedron3DA solid figure with flat faces3D crystal model


How to Pronounce Shapes Names in English

Below is a list of shapes with phonetic spellings:

  • Circle — /ˈsɜːrkəl/
  • Square — /skwɛər/
  • Triangle — /ˈtraɪæŋɡəl/
  • Rectangle — /ˈrɛktæŋɡəl/
  • Oval — /ˈoʊvəl/
  • Cube — /kjuːb/
  • Sphere — /sfɪər/
  • Cone — /koʊn/
  • Cylinder — /ˈsɪlɪndər/
  • Pyramid — /ˈpɪrəmɪd/

Most Commonly Used Shapes in English Vocabulary

Here is a list of shapes you will hear or use most often:

  • Circle
  • Square
  • Triangle
  • Rectangle
  • Oval
  • Star
  • Heart
  • Arrow
  • Diamond
  • Cube
  • Sphere
  • Cylinder
  • Cone
  • Pyramid
  • Hexagon
  • Octagon
  • Kite
  • Parallelogram
  • Rhombus
  • Trapezoid

Unique and Uncommon Shapes Names

Below are names for more advanced shapes:

  • Rhombus — Diamond-shaped quadrilateral
  • Trapezoid — Quadrilateral with one pair of parallel sides
  • Dodecagon — 12 sides
  • Tetrahedron — 4 triangular faces
  • Octahedron — 8 triangular faces
  • Dodecahedron — 12 pentagonal faces
  • Icosahedron — 20 triangular faces
  • Nonagon — 9 sides
  • Heptagon — 7 sides
  • Pentagonal Prism — Prism with pentagon base

Easy Shapes Names for Kids with Pictures

Simple shapes children should know:

  • Circle — Ball, face
  • Square — Box, tile
  • Triangle — Pizza slice
  • Rectangle — Door
  • Heart — Card, emoji
  • Star — Sticker
  • Oval — Egg
  • Diamond — Kite

FAQs about Shapes Names in English

What are the basic shapes names in English?

The basic shapes in English include circle, square, triangle, rectangle, and oval. These are the foundation for learning more complex geometric shapes.

What is the difference between a square and a rectangle?

A square has four equal sides and four right angles, while a rectangle also has four right angles but opposite sides are equal, not all four.

What shape has three sides?

A shape with three sides is called a triangle. There are different types, like equilateral, isosceles, and scalene triangles.

What is the name of a shape with no corners?

A shape with no corners is called a circle. It’s perfectly round and has no straight sides or angles.

What is the difference between an oval and a circle?

A circle is perfectly round with equal radius, while an oval is elongated and does not have a constant radius all around.

What is a polygon?

A polygon is a flat shape with straight sides. Common examples include triangles, squares, and hexagons.

What is a 5-sided shape called?

A 5-sided shape is called a pentagon. If all sides and angles are equal, it is a regular pentagon.

What is a hexagon?

A hexagon is a shape with six straight sides and six angles. A regular hexagon has all sides and angles equal.

What is the name of a shape with 8 sides?

A shape with 8 sides is called an octagon. A regular octagon has all sides and angles equal.

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About the author

Muhammad Asim

Asim is a blogger, freelance ESL and IELTS trainer and a software engineer graduated from the top ranked varsity of Pakistan. Asim is keenly interested to write blogs and loves to create content for audience. He has been conducting online sessions for training individuals and groups for IELTS and ESL. He is active on social media with a fan following of almost 2.5M people around the globe.