conic section
noun Geometry.
a curve formed by the intersection of a plane with a right circular cone; an ellipse, a circle, a parabola, or a hyperbola.
Also called
conic.
Origin of conic section
First recorded in 1655–65
Words nearby conic section
congruous,
congruous hemianopsia,
congé,
conic,
conic projection,
conic section,
conical,
conical cornea,
conical papilla,
conical pendulum,
conicoid
British Dictionary definitions for conic section
conic section
noun
one of a group of curves formed by the intersection of a plane and a right circular cone. It is either a circle, ellipse, parabola, or hyperbola, depending on the eccentricity, e, which is constant for a particular curve e = 0 for a circle; e <1 for an ellipse; e = 1 for a parabola; e>1 for a hyperbola
Often shortened to: conic
Scientific definitions for conic section
conic section
A curve formed by the intersection of a plane with a cone. Conic sections can appear as circles, ellipses, hyperbolas, or parabolas, depending on the angle of the intersecting plane relative to the cone's base.