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
Examples of spline in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Damage to the axle hub splines can cause the vehicle to roll away, increasing the chance of a crash, the recall notice said.
—
Melina Khan, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
The circular spline: A completely rigid ring with internal teeth, similar to a planetary ring gear, and with two more teeth than the flexspline.
—New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2024
The rear axle hub bolt may fatigue and break, according to the notice, which can result in damage to the axle hub splines.
—Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 10 June 2024
In 1968 two professors founded the pioneering graphics hardware company Evans & Sutherland; by 1978, fundamental rendering and visualization techniques disclosed in doctoral dissertations included the Warnock algorithm, Gouraud shading, the Catmull-Rom spline, and the Blinn-Phong reflection model.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 June 2023
Run the blade along the outside of the spline to cut the screen material away, being careful not to cut the spline or the screen on the inside of the spline.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 June 2022
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Melina Khan, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
The circular spline: A completely rigid ring with internal teeth, similar to a planetary ring gear, and with two more teeth than the flexspline.
—New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2024
The rear axle hub bolt may fatigue and break, according to the notice, which can result in damage to the axle hub splines.
—Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 10 June 2024
In 1968 two professors founded the pioneering graphics hardware company Evans & Sutherland; by 1978, fundamental rendering and visualization techniques disclosed in doctoral dissertations included the Warnock algorithm, Gouraud shading, the Catmull-Rom spline, and the Blinn-Phong reflection model.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 June 2023
Run the blade along the outside of the spline to cut the screen material away, being careful not to cut the spline or the screen on the inside of the spline.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 June 2022
Cite this Entry
“Spline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spline. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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