What is a quadrilateral?

A quadrilateral is defined as a closed geometric figure that has four sides. The term "quad" comes from Latin, meaning "four," which directly indicates that a quadrilateral always consists of four edges or sides, connecting four vertices. Some common examples of quadrilaterals include squares, rectangles, trapezoids, and rhombuses, each varying in the lengths of their sides and the measures of their angles but still adhering to the rule of having exactly four sides. The other choices describe shapes with a different number of sides and therefore do not accurately define a quadrilateral.