Polygon (computer graphics)

Polygons are used in computer graphics to compose images that are three-dimensional in appearance.

Usually (but not always) triangular, polygons arise when an object’s surface is modeled, vertices are selected, and the object is rendered in a wire frame model. This is quicker to display than a shaded model; thus the polygons are a stage in computer animation. The polygon count refers to the number of polygons being rendered per frame.

Beginning with the fifth generation of video game consoles, the use of polygons became more common, and with each succeeding generation, polygonal models became increasingly complex. - Wikipedia