parabolic

1
[ par-uh-bol-ik ]
See synonyms for parabolic on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. having the form or outline of a parabola.

  2. having a longitudinal section in the form of a paraboloid or parabola: a parabolic reflector.

  1. of or relating to a parabola.

Origin of parabolic

1
First recorded in 1695–1705; parabol(a) + -ic

Words Nearby parabolic

Other definitions for parabolic (2 of 2)

parabolic2
[ par-uh-bol-ik ]

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or involving a parable.

Origin of parabolic

2
1650–60; <Late Latin parabolicus metaphoric <Late Greek parabolikós figurative, equivalent to Greek parabol() parable + -ikos-ic
  • Sometimes par·a·bol·i·cal .

Other words from parabolic

  • par·a·bol·i·cal·ism, noun
  • par·a·bol·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • non·par·a·bol·i·cal, adjective
  • non·par·a·bol·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use parabolic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for parabolic (1 of 2)

parabolic1

/ (ˌpærəˈbɒlɪk) /


adjective
  1. of, relating to, or shaped like a parabola

  2. shaped like a paraboloid: a parabolic mirror

British Dictionary definitions for parabolic (2 of 2)

parabolic2

parabolical

/ (ˌpærəˈbɒlɪk) /


adjective
  1. of or resembling a parable

Derived forms of parabolic

  • parabolically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012