Definition of parabola Parabola

/pɚæˈbʌlʌ/ - [perabulu] - pa•rab•o•la

We found 10 definitions of parabola from 8 different sources.

What does parabola mean?

WordNet

Noun

Plural: parabolas

parabola - a plane curve formed by the intersection of a right circular cone and a plane parallel to an element of the curve

conic, conic section (geometry) a curve generated by the intersection of a plane and a circular cone

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Wiktionary

parabola (Noun)
The conic section formed by the intersection of a cone with a plane parallel to a tangent plane to the cone; the locus of points equidistant from a fixed point the focus and line the directrix.
parabola (Noun)
The explicit drawing of a parallel between two essentially dissimilar things, especially with a moral or didactic purpose. A parable.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

parabola (n.)
A kind of curve; one of the conic sections formed by the intersection of the surface of a cone with a plane parallel to one of its sides. It is a curve, any point of which is equally distant from a fixed point, called the focus, and a fixed straight line, called the directrix. See Focus.
parabola (n.)
One of a group of curves defined by the equation y = axn where n is a positive whole number or a positive fraction. For the cubical parabola n = 3; for the semicubical parabola n = /. See under Cubical, and Semicubical. The parabolas have infinite branches, but no rectilineal asymptotes.

OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω

parabola
A conic section generated by the intersection of a right circular conical surface and a plane parallel to a generating straight line of that surface.

Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕

parabola
par-ab′o-la, n. (geom.) a curve or conic section, formed by cutting a cone with a plane parallel to its slope (for illustration, see Cone).—adjs. Parabol′ic; Parabol′iform.—n. Parab′oloid, the solid which would be generated by the rotation of a parabola about its principal axis. [Gr. parabolē; cf. Parable.]

Electrical DictionaryThe Standard Electrical Dictionary 💡

parabola
A curve; one of the conic sections. It is approximately represented by a small arc of a circle, but if extended becomes rapidly deeper than a half circle.
If, from a point within called the focus, lines are drawn to the curve and then other lines are drawn from these points parallel to the axis, the angles of incidence will he equal to the angles of reflection as referred to tangents at the points where the lines touch the curve.
A*x^2 + B*x*y + C*y^2 + D*x + E*y + F = 0 such that B^2 = 4*A*C, all of the coefficients are real, and A and C are not zero. A parabola positioned at the origin and symmetrical on the y axis is simplified to y = a*x^2 ]

Sailor's Word-BookThe Sailor's Word-Book ⛵

parabola
A geometrical figure formed by the section of a cone when cut by a plane parallel to its side.

Part of speech

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parabola, noun, singular of parabolas.

Pronunciation

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