1
: a plane curve generated by a point moving so that its distance from a fixed point is equal to its distance from a fixed line : the intersection of a right circular cone with a plane parallel to an element of the cone
2
: something bowl-shaped (such as an antenna or microphone reflector)
- F fixed point
- CD fixed line
- x moving point
- AB axis
- xy distance from x to CD
- pp′ parabola
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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