hyperbola

Hyperbola — Hy*per bo*la, n. [Gr. ?, prop., an overshooting, excess, i. e., of the angle which the cutting plane makes with the base. See {Hyperbole}.] (Geom.) A curve formed by a section of a cone, when the cutting plane makes a greater angle with the base… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

hyperbola — 1660s, from Latinized form of Gk. hyperbole extravagance, lit. a throwing beyond (see HYPERBOLE (Cf. hyperbole)). Perhaps so called because the inclination of the plane to the base of the cone exceeds that of the side of the cone …   Etymology dictionary

hyperbola — ► NOUN (pl. hyperbolas or hyperbolae) ▪ a symmetrical open curve formed by the intersection of a cone with a plane at a smaller angle with its axis than the side of the cone. ORIGIN Latin, from Greek huperbol (see HYPERBOLE(Cf. ↑hyperbolically)) …   English terms dictionary

hyperbola — [hī pʉr′bə lə] n. pl. hyperbolas or hyperbolae [hī pʉr′bəlē] [ModL < Gr hyperbolē, a throwing beyond, excess < hyperballein, to throw beyond < hyper (see HYPER ) + ballein, to throw (see BALL1)] Geom. the path of a point that moves so… …   English World dictionary

Hyperbola — This article is about a geometrical curve, a conic section. For the term used in rhetoric, see Hyperbole …   Wikipedia

hyperbola — /huy perr beuh leuh/, n. Geom. the set of points in a plane whose distances to two fixed points in the plane have a constant difference; a curve consisting of two distinct and similar branches, formed by the intersection of a plane with a right… …   Universalium

hyperbola — hiperbolė statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. hyperbola vok. Hyperbel, f rus. гипербола, f pranc. hyperbole, f …   Fizikos terminų žodynas

hyperbola — noun (plural las or hyperbolae) Etymology: New Latin, from Greek hyperbolē Date: 1668 a plane curve generated by a point so moving that the difference of the distances from two fixed points is a constant ; a curve formed by the intersection of a… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

hyperbola — noun A conic section formed by the intersection of a cone with a plane that intersects the base of the cone and is not tangent to the cone …   Wiktionary

hyperbola — Synonyms and related words: arc, bow, catacaustic, catenary, caustic, circle, conchoid, crook, curl, curve, diacaustic, ellipse, festoon, hook, lituus, parabola, sinus, tracery …   Moby Thesaurus

hyperbola — hy·per·bo·la || haɪ pÉœrbÉ™lÉ™ / pɜːb n. curve consisting of two separate branches (Geometry) …   English contemporary dictionary