hyperbola

noun hy·per·bo·la \ hī-ˈpər-bə-lə \

|Updated on: 20 May 2018

Definition of hyperbola

plural hyperbolas or hyperbolae play \hī-ˈpər-bə-(ˌ)lē\

: a plane curve generated by a point so moving that the difference of the distances from two fixed points is a constant : a curve formed by the intersection of a double right circular cone with a plane that cuts both halves of the cone

Recent Examples of hyperbola from the Web

The class doesn’t cover some lessons on circles, hyperbolas, and ellipses, but those topics are more relevant to precalculus, Gurule said.

— shaina cavazos, The Atlantic, "A Math Class That Makes Tax Season Easier," 9 Feb. 2018
Clouds are never spheres, nor mountains cones, nor Ponderosa pines; bark is not smooth; and where the land and sea so variously lie about each other and lightly kiss, is no hyperbola.

— evelyn lamb, Smithsonian, "How Poetry and Math Intersect," 24 Apr. 2018

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