Geodesic Definition

jēə-dĕsĭk, -dēsĭk
adjective
Webster's New World
Designating the shortest surface line between two points on a surface, esp. a curved surface.
Webster's New World

Of or relating to geodesy.

Wiktionary
Of or pertaining to the geometry of such lines.
Webster's New World
Having a structurally strong surface made up of short, straight, lightweight bars that form a grid of polygons.
Geodesic dome.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
noun
A geodesic line.
Webster's New World
The shortest path between two points on any mathematically defined surface.
American Heritage
A curve that locally minimizes the distance between two points on any mathematically defined space, such as a curved manifold. Equivalently, it is a path of minimal curvature. In noncurved three-dimensional space, the geodesic is a straight line. In General Relativity , the trajectory of a body with negligible mass on which only gravitational forces are acting (i.e. a free falling body) is a geodesic in (curved) 4-dimensional space-time.
American Heritage Science
Synonyms:
  • geodesic line

Other Word Forms of Geodesic

Noun

Singular:
geodesic
Plural:
geodesics

Origin of Geodesic

  • From geodesy

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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