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1. (n.) parabola
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.
Etymology: (1570–80; < NL < Gk parabolē an application)
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| Definition of 'parabola' |
Princeton's WordNet |
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1. (noun) parabola
a plane curve formed by the intersection of a right circular cone and a plane parallel to an element of the curve
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| Definition of 'parabola' |
Webster Dictionary |
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1. (noun) parabola
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
2. (noun) parabola
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
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| Definitions of 'parabola' |
The Nuttall Encyclopedia |
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1. parabola
a conic section formed by the intersection of a cone by a plane parallel to one of its sides.
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| Definition of 'parabola' |
The Standard Electrical Dictionary |
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1. 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.
[Transcriber's note; The general equation of a parabola is 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 ]
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Definitions of parabola 
