golden section
noun Fine Arts, Mathematics.
a ratio between two portions of a line, or the two dimensions of a plane figure, in which the lesser of the two is to the greater as the greater is to the sum of both: a ratio of approximately 0.618 to 1.000.
Nearby words
golden rain tree, golden ratio, golden retriever, golden rose, golden rule, golden section, golden share, golden shiner, golden shower, golden spaniard, golden starfish
Origin of golden section
First recorded in 1870–75
Also called golden mean.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for golden section
golden section
golden mean
noun
the proportion of the two divisions of a straight line or the two dimensions of a plane figure such that the smaller is to the larger as the larger is to the sum of the two. If the sides of a rectangle are in this proportion and a square is constructed internally on the shorter side, the rectangle that remains will also have sides in the same proportionCompare golden ratio
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Science definitions for golden section
golden section
[ gōl′dən ]
The ratio between two numbers a and b chosen such that the ratio of a to b is equal to the ratio of a+b to a. Its value is approximately 1.618. Shapes with proportions equal to the golden section are observed especially in the fine arts and in architecture, as between the two dimensions of a plane figure such as a rectangle. The ratio between consecutive numbers in a Fibonacci sequence approximates the golden section with increasing precision as the series progresses. Also called golden mean golden ratio
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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