cubic

adjective cu·bic \ ˈkyü-bik \

|Updated on: 28 Jul 2018

Definition of cubic

1 : having the form of a cube : cubical

2 a : relating to the cube considered as a crystal form

b : isometric 1

3 a : three-dimensional

b : being the volume of a cube whose edge is a specified unit

cubic inch

4 : of third degree, order, or power

a cubic polynomial

See cubic defined for English-language learners

See cubic defined for kids

Recent Examples of cubic from the Web

But Havens said Lake O holds at least 500 million cubic yards of polluted mud, which is also tainted with toxic metals.

— jenny staletovich, miamiherald, "What’s an algae bloom and how did it wind up sliming Florida’s biggest lake?," 10 July 2018
Over the next six months, engineers will excavate more than 343,000 cubic yards of soil over 90 acres to complete the Lauder basin.

— zach despart, Houston Chronicle, "Harris County breaks ground on Greens Bayou detention basin," 27 June 2018
Essentially, the observatory is a 1-cubic kilometer (about 1.3 billion cubic yards) block of crystal-clear ice surrounded by specialized sensors.

— brian resnick, Vox, "Physicists are unveiling cool, new findings from a South Pole neutrino observatory Thursday. Here’s how to watch.," 12 July 2018
In downtown Los Angeles last year, fine particle pollution jumped above 300 micrograms per cubic meter — more than eight times the daily average health standard of 35 — and remained elevated through the following morning.

— jon schleuss, latimes.com, "The Fourth of July brings some of the year's worst air pollution. You can thank fireworks," 3 July 2018
The project will produce nearly 53 billion cubic feet of gas daily compared to the roughly 33 billion cubic feet of gas now produced from the first phase of Shah Deniz.

— jordan blum, Houston Chronicle, "BP starts up massive gas project in Caspian Sea," 2 July 2018
As a result, the Silverado offers an additional 3 inches of cab length for all configurations, and up to 4 cubic feet more interior volume.

— jamie l. lareau, Detroit Free Press, "2019 Chevy Silverado crew cab short box to be bigger, lighter, cheaper," 29 June 2018
Folding both rear seats down opens up 65.7 cubic feet of space.

— star-telegram, "VW’s second-generation Tiguan crossover starts at $24,595, has room for up to seven," 23 June 2018
Nearer to Cape Horn, off the tip of South America, measurements increased to 57 particles per cubic meter.

— rob hodgetts, CNN, "Sailor sacrifices sleep for science to save the planet," 8 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cubic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of cubic

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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cubic

noun

Definition of cubic

: a cubic curve, equation, or polynomial

Recent Examples of cubic from the Web

Every 10-microgram-per-cubic-meter increase in the concentration of breathable particulate matter is associated with an increase of about 9 percent in infant mortality, an effect consistent over the 15-year study period, the study’s authors say.

— Washington Post, "Africa’s pollution killing thousands of infants, study says," 27 June 2018
The highest levels of microplastic found so far in the race was 357 particles per cubic metre recorded from the South China Sea, east of Taiwan.

— rob hodgetts, CNN, "Sailor sacrifices sleep for science to save the planet," 8 June 2018
Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, Valparaiso Public Works employees will load compost and mulch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The charge for compost loading is $10 per cubic yard, payment by check or money order only.

— staff report, Post-Tribune, "Community news," 3 May 2018
Seminole County, which had a pre-storm contract to pay $7.49 per cubic yard to hauler Ceres Environmental, reworked the pact to pay the company 11 percent more — a raise of about 82 cents per cubic yard to $8.31, County Manager Nicole Guillet said.

— stephen hudak, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Trump orders feds to pay more to help Florida cities, counties pay for Hurricane Irma debris," 4 Oct. 2017
The charge for compost loading is $10 per cubic yard, payment by check or money order only.

— chicago tribune, chicagotribune.com, "Neighbors calendar," 29 May 2017
Their namesake cubic frames contain up to 15 tentacles at the corners, with each growing as much as 10 feet long, all lined with thousands of stinging cells—

— daniel jameson, CNT, "The 10 Most Dangerous Animals in the World," 10 July 2017
The charge for compost loading is $10 per cubic yard, payment by check or money order only.

— chicago tribune, chicagotribune.com, "Neighbors calendar," 29 May 2017
The charge for compost loading is $10 per cubic yard, payment by check or money order only.

— Post-Tribune, "Community calendar," 13 May 2017

First Known Use of cubic

1799

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

CUBIC Defined for English Language Learners

cubic

adjective

Definition of cubic for English Language Learners

: in the shape of a cube

CUBIC Defined for Kids

cubic

adjective cu·bic \ ˈkyü-bik \

Definition of cubic for Students

1 : having the shape of a cube

2 : being the volume of a cube whose edge has a specified length

a cubic centimeter

Learn More about cubic

See words that rhyme with cubic Spanish Central: Translation of cubic Nglish: Translation of cubic for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of cubic for Arabic speakers

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cubic

Definition of cubic

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cubic

Definition of cubic

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First Known Use of cubic

CUBIC Defined for English Language Learners

cubic

Definition of cubic for English Language Learners

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cubic

Definition of cubic for Students

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