Main Entry: spline

Pronunciation: \ˈsplīn\

Function: noun

Etymology: origin unknown

Date: 1756

1 : a thin wood or metal strip used in building construction
2 : a key that is fixed to one of two connected mechanical parts and fits into a keyway in the other; also : a keyway for such a key
3 : a function that is defined on an interval, is used to approximate a given function, and is composed of pieces of simple functions defined on subintervals and joined at their endpoints with a suitable degree of smoothness