factor of safety
noun
the ratio of the maximum stress that a structural part or other piece of material can withstand to the maximum stress estimated for it in the use for which it is designed.
Origin of factor of safety
1First recorded in 1855–60
- Also called safety factor.
Words Nearby factor of safety
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for factor of safety
factor of safety
noun
the ratio of the breaking stress of a material or structure to the calculated maximum stress when in use: Also called: safety factor
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
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