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Webster 1913 Edition

Asymptote

As′ymp-tote

(?; 215)
,
Noun.
[Gr. [GREEK] not falling together;
ἀ
priv. + [GREEK] to fall together; [GREEK] with + [GREEK] to fall. Cf.
Symptom
.]
(Math.)
A line which approaches nearer to some curve than assignable distance, but, though infinitely extended, would never meet it. Asymptotes may be straight lines or curves. A rectilinear asymptote may be conceived as a tangent to the curve at an infinite distance.

Webster 1828 Edition

Asymptote

AS'YMPTOTE

,
Noun.
[Gr. priv. with, and to fall; not meeting or coinciding.]
A line which approaches nearer and nearer to some curve, but though infinitely extended, would never meet it. This may be conceived as a tangent to a curve at an infinite distance.

Definition 2024

Asymptote

Asymptote

See also: asymptote

German

Noun

Asymptote f ‎(genitive Asymptote, plural Asymptoten)

  1. asymptote (a straight line which a curve approaches arbitrarily closely)

Declension

asymptote

asymptote

See also: Asymptote

English

Noun

asymptote ‎(plural asymptotes)

  1. (analysis) A straight line which a curve approaches arbitrarily closely, as they go to infinity. The limit of the curve, its tangent "at infinity".
  2. (by extension, figuratively) Anything which comes near to but never meets something else.
    • 1860: Frederic William Farrar, An Essay on the Origin of Language, page 117
      Language, in relation to thought, must ever be regarded as an asymptote.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

asymptote ‎(third-person singular simple present asymptotes, present participle asymptoting, simple past and past participle asymptoted)

  1. (analysis) To approach, but never quite touch, a straight line, as something goes to infinity.
    • 2006: Neil deGrasse Tyson, The Perimeter of Ignorance[1]
      As you become more scientific, yes, the religiosity drops off, but it asymptotes.

References

  1. ↑ Neil deGrasse Tyson: Take 2 - Why evolution is true. 25 February 2013

French

Noun

asymptote f ‎(plural asymptotes)

  1. (analysis) asymptote

Pronunciation

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