parabola

[ puh-rab-uh-luh ]
/ pəˈræb ə lə /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR parabola ON THESAURUS.COM

noun Geometry.

a plane curve formed by the intersection of a right circular cone with a plane parallel to a generator of the cone; the set of points in a plane that are equidistant from a fixed line and a fixed point in the same plane or in a parallel plane. Equation: y2 = 2px or x2 = 2py.

Origin of parabola

1570–80; < New Latin < Greek parabolḗ an application. See parable

Words nearby parabola

parabiosis, parablast, parable, parablepsia, parables, parabola, parabolic, parabolic aerial, parabolic antenna, parabolic mirror, parabolize

Words related to parabola

trajectory, arc, arch, contour, loop, swerve, sweep, hairpin, crook, bend, whorl, ambit, concavity, circle, quirk, curvature, festoon, bight, compass, circumference

Example sentences from the Web for parabola

British Dictionary definitions for parabola

parabola
/ (pəˈræbələ) /

noun

a conic section formed by the intersection of a cone by a plane parallel to its side. Standard equation: y ² = 4 ax, where 2 a is the distance between focus and directrix

Word Origin for parabola

C16: via New Latin from Greek parabolē a setting alongside; see parable

Scientific definitions for parabola

parabola
[ pə-răb′ə-lə ]

The curve formed by the set of points in a plane that are all equally distant from both a given line (called the directrix) and a given point (called the focus) that is not on the line.

Cultural definitions for parabola

parabola
[ (puh-rab-uh-luh) ]

A geometrical shape (see geometry) consisting of a single bend and two lines going off to an infinite distance.

notes for parabola

An object that is propelled away from the Earth and then drawn back by gravity, such as a fly ball in baseball, follows a path shaped like a parabola.