An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

In a → polygon, a line segment joining any two non-adjacent vertices (→ vertex).

Etymology (EN): From M.Fr. diagonal, from L. diagonalis, from diagonus “slanting line,” from Gk. diagonios “from angle to angle,” from dia- “across, dividing two parts” + gonia “angle,” related to gony “knee,” L. genu “knee,” Mod.Pers. zânu “knee,” Av. žnav-, žnu- “knee,” Skt. janu-; PIE base *g(e)neu-, see below.

Etymology (PE): Tarâkonj, from tarâ- “across, through,” → trans-,

• konj “angle, corner, confined place” (variants xong “corner, angle,” Tabari kânj, Kurd. kunj, Hamadâni kom), maybe from the PIE base *g(e)neu-, as above, and related to Mod.Pers. zânu “knee” (Av. žnu-), Skt. kona- “angle, corner,” Gk. gony, gonia, L. cuneus “a wedge,” Albanian (Gheg dialect) kân “angle, corner,” Albanian (Toks) kënd “angle, corner.”