Difference Wiki

Corner vs. Vertex: What's the Difference?

Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on October 4, 2023
Corner vs. Vertex: "Corner" refers to where two sides meet, typically in objects or rooms, while "Vertex" is the highest point or the meeting point of two lines in geometry.

Key Differences

A Corner is a point or space where two sides or edges converge, often creating an angle, particularly in everyday objects or spaces. On the other hand, Vertex specifically pertains to a point in geometry where two or more curves, edges, or lines meet.
When we discuss room layout or perhaps a book, we might refer to the Corner of a room or the Corner of a page. Conversely, in mathematics or design, we talk about the Vertex of an angle or the Vertex of a shape like a triangle or polygon.
Consider a cube; it has Corners that we can touch and feel, places where three edges meet. In mathematical terms, each of these Corners is also referred to as a Vertex.
A boxing ring has four Corners, spaces where the ropes create angles. But a cone, while it might sit stably on one end, has a Vertex at the topmost point.
Cities often have street Corners where two roads intersect. But when discussing the highest point on a mountain or a graph, we'd use the term Vertex.
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Comparison Chart

Definition

Where two sides meet in objects/rooms
Point in geometry where curves, edges, or lines meet

Common Usage

Rooms, books, streets
Angles, polygons, graphs

Number of Edges Meeting

Typically two
Two or more

Dimension

Common in 2D and 3D objects
Often referenced in 2D geometry but applies to 3D too

Associative Terms

Room, street, book
Angle, shape, peak
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Corner and Vertex Definitions

Corner

To gain control over something, especially in business terms.
He tried to Corner the market on precious metals.

Vertex

The highest point; the top or apex.
The mountain's Vertex was covered in snow.

Corner

The position at which two lines, surfaces, or edges meet and form an angle
The four corners of a rectangle.

Vertex

A meeting point of two lines in an angle.
The angle's Vertex is clearly marked on the diagram.

Corner

The area enclosed or bounded by an angle formed in this manner
Sat by myself in the corner.
The corner of one's eye.

Vertex

The crown of the head.
Babies often have a soft spot at the Vertex of their head.

Corner

The place where two roads or streets join or intersect.

Vertex

In computer graphics, a data structure with position information.
The model's Vertex data determines its shape.

Corner

(Sports) Any of the four angles of a boxing or wrestling ring where the ropes are joined.

Vertex

A point where two or more straight lines meet.
The triangle has a Vertex where two sides meet.

Corner

(Baseball) Either side of home plate, toward or away from the batter.

Vertex

The highest point; the apex or summit
The vertex of a mountain.

Corner

A corner kick in soccer.

Vertex

The highest point of the skull.

Corner

(Football) A cornerback.

Vertex

The top of the head.

Corner

A threatening or embarrassing position from which escape is difficult
Got myself into a corner by boasting.

Vertex

In astrology, the highest point reached in the apparent motion of a celestial body.

Corner

A remote, secluded, or secret place
The four corners of the earth.
A beautiful little corner of Paris.

Vertex

The point at which the sides of an angle intersect.

Corner

A part or piece made to fit on a corner, as in mounting or for protection.

Vertex

The point on a triangle or pyramid opposite to and farthest away from its base.

Corner

A speculative monopoly of a stock or commodity created by purchasing all or most of the available supply in order to raise its price.

Vertex

A point on a polyhedron common to three or more sides.

Corner

Exclusive possession; monopoly
"Neither party ... has a corner on all the good ideas" (George B. Merry).

Vertex

A point of maximal curvature on a parabola or hyperbola.

Corner

To place or drive into a corner
Cornered the thieves and captured them.

Vertex

The highest point, top or apex of something.

Corner

To form a corner in (a stock or commodity)
Cornered the silver market.

Vertex

(anatomy) The highest surface on the skull; the crown of the head.

Corner

To furnish with corners.

Vertex

(geometry) An angular point of a polygon, polyhedron or higher order polytope.

Corner

To turn, as at a corner
A truck that corners poorly.

Vertex

The common point of the two rays that form an angle.

Corner

To come together or be situated on or at a corner.

Vertex

The point at which an axis meets a curve or surface.

Corner

Located at a street corner
A corner drugstore.

Vertex

(mathematics) A point on the curve with a local minimum or maximum of curvature.

Corner

Designed for use in a corner
A corner table.

Vertex

(graph theory) One of the elements of a graph joined or not by edges to other vertices.

Corner

The point where two converging lines meet; an angle, either external or internal.
The corners of the wire mesh were reinforced with little blobs of solder.

Vertex

(computer graphics) A point in 3D space, usually given in terms of its Cartesian coordinates.

Corner

The space in the angle between converging lines or walls which meet in a point.
The chimney corner was full of cobwebs.

Vertex

(optics) The point where the surface of a lens crosses the optical axis.

Corner

The projection into space of an angle in a solid object.
Herbert bruised his shin on the corner of the coffee table.

Vertex

(particle physics) An interaction point.

Corner

An intersection of two streets; any of the four outer points off the street at that intersection.
The liquor store on the corner also sold lottery tickets.

Vertex

(astrology) The point where the prime vertical meets the ecliptic in the western hemisphere of a natal chart.

Corner

(attributive) Denoting a premises that is in a convenient local location, notionally, but not necessarily literally, on the corner of two streets.
Corner store, corner deli, corner newsagent

Vertex

(typography) A sharp downward point opposite a crotch, as in the letters "V" and "W" but not "Y".

Corner

An edge or extremity; the part farthest from the center; hence, any quarter or part, or the direction in which it lies.
Shining a light in the dark corners of the mind.
I took a trip out to his corner of town.

Vertex

A turning point; the principal or highest point; top; summit; crown; apex.

Corner

A secret or secluded place; a remote or out of the way place; a nook.
On weekends, Emily liked to find a quiet corner and curl up with a good book.

Vertex

The top, or crown, of the head.

Corner

An embarrassing situation; a difficulty.

Vertex

The zenith, or the point of the heavens directly overhead.

Corner

A sufficient interest in a salable security or commodity to allow the cornering party to influence prices.
In the 1970s, private investors tried to get a corner on the silver market, but were ultimately unsuccessful.

Vertex

The point in any figure opposite to, and farthest from, the base; the terminating point of some particular line or lines in a figure or a curve; the top, or the point opposite the base.

Corner

(heading) Relating to the playing field.

Vertex

The point of intersection of lines or the point opposite the base of a figure

Corner

(baseball) One of the four vertices of the strike zone.
The pitch was just off the corner, low and outside.

Vertex

The highest point (of something);
At the peak of the pyramid

Corner

(baseball) First base or third base.
There are runners on the corners with just one out.

Corner

(football) A corner kick.

Corner

(American football) A cornerback.

Corner

(boxing) The corner of the ring, which is where the boxer rests before and during a fight.

Corner

The group of people who assist a boxer during a bout.

Corner

A place where people meet for a particular purpose.
Welcome to our English corner.

Corner

(obsolete) A point scored in a rubber at whist.

Corner

(transitive) To drive (someone or something) into a corner or other confined space.
The cat had cornered a cricket between the sofa and the television stand.

Corner

(transitive) To trap in a position of great difficulty or hopeless embarrassment.
The reporter cornered the politician by pointing out the hypocrisy of his position on mandatory sentencing, in light of the politician's own actions in court.

Corner

(transitive) To put (someone) in an awkward situation.

Corner

To get sufficient command of (a stock, commodity, etc.), so as to be able to manipulate its price.
The buyers attempted to corner the shares of the railroad stock, so as to facilitate their buyout.
It's extremely hard to corner the petroleum market because there are so many players.

Corner

To turn a corner or drive around a curve.
As the stock car driver cornered the last turn, he lost control and spun out.

Corner

To handle while moving around a corner in a road or otherwise turning.
That BMW corners well, but the suspension is too stiff.

Corner

(transitive) To supply with corners.

Corner

The point where two converging lines meet; an angle, either external or internal.

Corner

The space in the angle between converging lines or walls which meet in a point; as, the chimney corner.

Corner

An edge or extremity; the part farthest from the center; hence, any quarter or part.
From the four corners of the earth they come.

Corner

A secret or secluded place; a remote or out of the way place; a nook.
This thing was not done in a corner.

Corner

Direction; quarter.
Sits the wind in that corner!

Corner

The state of things produced by a combination of persons, who buy up the whole or the available part of any stock or species of property, which compels those who need such stock or property to buy of them at their own price; as, a corner in a railway stock.

Corner

A free kick from close to the nearest corner flag post, allowed to the opposite side when a player has sent the ball behind his own goal line.

Corner

To drive into a corner.

Corner

To drive into a position of great difficulty or hopeless embarrassment; as, to corner a person in argument.

Corner

To get command of (a stock, commodity, etc.), so as to be able to put one's own price on it; as, to corner the shares of a railroad stock; to corner petroleum.

Corner

A place off to the side of an area;
He tripled to the rightfield corner
He glanced out of the corner of his eye

Corner

The point where two lines meet or intersect;
The corners of a rectangle

Corner

An interior angle formed be two meeting walls;
A piano was in one corner of the room

Corner

The intersection of two streets;
Standing on the corner watching all the girls go by

Corner

The point where three areas or surfaces meet or intersect;
The corners of a cube

Corner

A small concavity

Corner

A temporary monopoly on a kind of commercial trade;
A corner on the silver market

Corner

A predicament from which a skillful or graceful escape is impossible;
His lying got him into a tight corner

Corner

A projecting part that is corner-shaped;
He knocked off the corners

Corner

A remote area;
In many corners of the world they still practice slavery

Corner

(architecture) solid exterior angle of a building; especially one formed by a cornerstone

Corner

Gain control over;
Corner the gold market

Corner

Force a person or an animal into a position from which he cannot escape

Corner

Turn a corner;
The car corners

Corner

A point where two sides or edges meet.
The cat hid in the Corner of the room.

Corner

An angle formed by two intersecting lines or surfaces.
She sat in the Corner where two walls met.

Corner

A place or angle where two or more streets intersect.
They met at the Corner of Main and Elm streets.

Corner

A position or situation, especially one regarded as secluded.
He found a quiet Corner in the library to read.

FAQs

How many Corners does a rectangle have?

A rectangle has four Corners.

Do all Corners form right angles?

No, a Corner is merely where two lines meet; the angle can vary.

Is the Vertex always a pointed part of a shape?

Generally, but it simply refers to where lines or edges meet.

Why are street intersections called Corners?

It's from the angular space or Corner created by the intersecting streets.

Can rooms have Vertices?

Typically, we refer to them as Corners, but they are technically Vertices as well.

Can a square have a Vertex?

Yes, the Corners of a square are also its Vertices.

In business terms, what does it mean to Corner the market?

It means to gain significant control or a monopoly over a particular product or service.

Can circles have Corners?

No, circles are continuous and don't have Corners or Vertices.

Is the Vertex of a triangle always the topmost point?

Not always; any point where two sides meet is a Vertex.

Is the north pole the Vertex of Earth?

It's the topmost point, but Earth is spherical, so it doesn't have Vertices like a polygon.

What's the Vertex in computer graphics?

It's a data point with positional information.

How many Vertices does a cube have?

A cube has eight Vertices.

Are all Vertices sharp?

No, the term Vertex just denotes where lines meet, not the sharpness.

Do Vertices always pertain to geometric shapes?

Mostly, but the term can also be used in other fields like computer graphics.

Is a Corner always an enclosed space?

Not always. A street Corner isn't enclosed, but a room Corner is.

Can a sphere have a Vertex?

No, a sphere is a continuous surface with no Vertices.

How do you find the Vertex of a parabola?

In math, it's found using the formula or by completing the square.

How many Corners does a triangle have?

A triangle has three Corners.

Can an angle exist without a Vertex?

No, an angle is defined by two rays with a common Vertex.

Does every Corner have an angle?

Yes, every Corner is formed by the meeting of two lines, creating an angle.
About Author
Written by
Janet White
Janet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon Moss
Harlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.

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