Catenary Definition

kătn-ĕrē, kə-tēnə-rē
catenaries
noun
The curve made by a flexible, uniform chain or cord freely suspended between two fixed points.
Webster's New World
Something having the general shape of this curve.
American Heritage

(nautical) The curve of an anchor cable from the seabed to the vessel; it should be horizontal at the anchor so as to bury the flukes.

Wiktionary

A system of overhead power lines that provide trains, trolleys, buses, etc., with electricity, having a straight conductor wire and a bowed suspension cable.

Wiktionary
adjective
Designating or of such a curve.
Webster's New World
Relating to a chain; like a chain.
Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Catenary

Noun

Singular:
catenary
Plural:
catenaries

Origin of Catenary

  • New Latin catēnāria from Latin feminine of catēnārius relating to a chain from catēna chain

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

  • From Late Latin catenaria, in turn from Latin catēna (“chain”). Attested since 1788.

    From Wiktionary

Catenary Sentence Examples

  • The true catenary is that assumed by a chain of uniform weight per unit of length, but the form generally adopted for suspension bridges is that assumed by a chain under a weight uniformly distributed relatively to a horizontal line.

  • Finally, we may refer to the catenary of uniform strength, where the cross-section of the wire (or cable) is supposed to vary as the tension.

  • The only surface of revolution having this property is the catenoid formed by the revolution of a catenary about its directrix.

  • This catenoid, however, is in stable equilibrium only when the portion considered is such that the tangents to the catenary at its extremities intersect before they reach the directrix.

  • Every catenary lying between them has its directrix higher, and every catenary lying beyond them has its directrix lower than that of the two catenaries.

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Words Starting With

CCACAT

Words Ending With

YRYARY

Unscrambles

catenary

Words Starting With C and Ending With Y

Starts With C & Ends With YStarts With CA & Ends With YStarts With C & Ends With RY

Word Length

8 Letter Words8 Letter Words Starting With C8 Letter Words Ending With Y