tensile strength


noun

the resistance of a material to longitudinal stress, measured by the minimum amount of longitudinal stress required to rupture the material.

Origin of tensile strength

First recorded in 1860–65

Words nearby tensile strength

British Dictionary definitions for tensile strength

tensile strength

noun

a measure of the ability of a material to withstand a longitudinal stress, expressed as the greatest stress that the material can stand without breaking

Scientific definitions for tensile strength

tensile strength
[ tĕnsəl, tĕnsīl′ ]

A measure of the ability of material to resist a force that tends to pull it apart. It is expressed as the minimum tensile stress (force per unit area) needed to split the material apart.