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
tense,
tense logic,
tensegrity,
tensible,
tensile,
tensile strength,
tensile stress,
tensimeter,
tensiometer,
tension,
tension cavity
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
[ tĕn′səl, tĕn′sīl′ ]
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.