parabolic
1 Americanadjective
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having the form or outline of a parabola.
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having a longitudinal section in the form of a paraboloid or parabola.
a parabolic reflector.
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of or relating to a parabola.
adjective
adjective
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of, relating to, or shaped like a parabola
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shaped like a paraboloid
a parabolic mirror
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of parabolic1
First recorded in 1695–1705; parabol(a) + -ic
Origin of parabolic2
1650–60; < Late Latin parabolicus metaphoric < Late Greek parabolikós figurative, equivalent to Greek parabol ( ḗ ) parable + -ikos -ic
Explanation
Something that's parabolic symbolizes something or teaches a simple lesson. Many fables and Bible stories are parabolic. If your grandfather's stories always end with him saying, "And the moral of this story is..." then you can describe them as parabolic. They are parables, in other words, tales that try to teach a moral or religious lesson. Another way to use the adjective parabolic is to mean "like a parabola," or a mathematical curve on a graph. The Greek root of parabolic is parabolikos, "figurative," from parabole, "comparison or parable," or literally "a throwing beside."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A bull market supported by several sectors is much sturdier than one balanced on a tower of parabolic semiconductor stocks.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
“When you see certain sectors go linear or even parabolic, that’s at best unpredictable, at worst extraordinarily dangerous,” said Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
From the Eighth Avenue entrance, passengers will descend sweeping staircases into a parabolic main hall whose soft curve contrasts with the structure’s overall solidity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026
"And don't forget the parabolic flights, they're also awesome fun."
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026
I wasn’t sure where we’d gone since the lessons in parabolic ratios the week before.
From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
