Lozenge

A lozenge is a form of rhombus. The definition of lozenge is not strictly fixed, and it is sometimes used simply as a synonym for rhombus. Most often, though, lozenge refers to a thin rhombus — a rhombus with acute angles of 45° or greater.Definition of lozenge at Mathworld web site The lozenge shape is often used in parquetry and as decoration on ceramics, silverware, and textiles.

Applications

Camouflage

During the First World War, the Germans were looking for a way to effectively camouflage their aircraft. This resulted in the development of the so-called lozenge pattern, made up of irregular painted polygons (not necessarily actual rhombi). Because painting such a pattern was very time consuming, and the paint added considerably to the weight of the aircraft, it was decided to print the pattern on a fabric. This pre-printed fabric was used from 1916 onwards, in various forms and colours, such as the one pictured on the right.

Heraldry

The lozenge in heraldry is a diamond-shaped charge, usually somewhat narrower than it is tall. A mascle is a voided lozenge-- that is, a lozenge with a lozenge-shaped hole in the middle-- and the rarer rustre is a lozenge containing a circular hole. A field covered in a pattern of lozenges is described as lozengy; a similar field of mascles is masculy.

Cough tablets

Cough tablets have taken the name lozenge, based on their original shape. According to the Oxford English Dictionary the first use of this sense was in 1530.

The glyph

The lozenge glyph is found in DOS code page 437 and Mac-Roman. It is also found at Unicode 0x25CA and can be typed with &loz; (or ◊), which will produce ◊.

References