parabolic

[ par-uh-bol-ik ]

/ ˌpær əˈbɒl ɪk /

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See synonyms for parabolic on Thesaurus.com

adjective

having the form or outline of a parabola.

having a longitudinal section in the form of a paraboloid or parabola: a parabolic reflector.

of or relating to a parabola.

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Origin of parabolic

First recorded in 1695–1705; parabol(a) + -ic

Words nearby parabolic

parabiosis, parablast, parable, parables, parabola, parabolic, parabolic aerial, parabolic antenna, parabolic mirror, parabolize, paraboloid

Other definitions for parabolic (2 of 2)

parabolic²

[ par-uh-bol-ik ]

/ ˌpær əˈbɒl ɪk /

adjective

of, relating to, or involving a parable.

Sometimes par·a·bol·i·cal .

Origin of parabolic

1650–60; <Late Latin parabolicus metaphoric <Late Greek parabolikós figurative, equivalent to Greek parabol(ḗ) parable + -ikos-ic

OTHER WORDS FROM parabolic

par·a·bol·i·cal·ism, nounpar·a·bol·i·cal·ly, adverbnon·par·a·bol·i·cal, adjectivenon·par·a·bol·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use parabolic in a sentence

At the four-minute mark, the capsule will reach the peak of its parabolic flight and then begin to descend back into the atmosphere.
Why Jeff Bezos Should Be Applauded for Going to Space|Jeffrey Kluger|June 7, 2021|Time
He wasn’t really offering a voyage into space, but a parabolic ballistic shot to the edge of space and, after a fleeting few minutes of weightlessness, a glide back to earth with spectacular views.
Branson Grows Old While Bezos Takes Over Space Travel|Clive Irving|May 6, 2021|The Daily Beast
They’ll also go on parabolic flights that simulate weightlessness.
This is how (almost) anyone can train to be an astronaut|Neel Patel|March 24, 2021|MIT Technology Review
While a parabolic dish has the useful property of being sensitive to a fairly large area of sky, if a candidate signal is detected, there is no way of knowing exactly where it came from.
SETI: New Signal Excites Alien Hunters—Here’s How We Could Find Out if It’s Real|Michael Garrett|January 7, 2021|Singularity Hub

Bitcoin has made parabolic runs upward before, notably December 2017 and mid-2019, before major tumbles.
Bitcoin bulls eyeing a $20,000 price target|Bernhard Warner|November 5, 2020|Fortune
Farther from the center they become parabolic, but they are quite good over the entire plate, 3¼ by 4¼ inches.
Photographs of Nebul and Clusters|James Edward Keeler
Its depth at the crown is 33 ft., and its centre line follows nearly the parabolic line of pressures.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3|Various
In spans over 200 ft. it is economical to have one horizontal boom and one polygonal (approximately parabolic) boom.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3|Various
The posterior are intermixed with round and square pieces, and the extremity of the armour near the tail is of a parabolic figure.
Buffon's Natural History. Volume VII (of 10)|Georges Louis Leclerc de Buffon
We use a small atomic cavity radiator at one end of which is a rough relux parabolic filter.
Islands of Space|John W Campbell

British Dictionary definitions for parabolic (1 of 2)

parabolic¹

/ (ˌpærəˈbɒlɪk) /

adjective

of, relating to, or shaped like a parabola

shaped like a paraboloida parabolic mirror

British Dictionary definitions for parabolic (2 of 2)

parabolic²

parabolical

/ (ˌpærəˈbɒlɪk) /

adjective

of or resembling a parable

Derived forms of parabolic

parabolically, adverb

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

parabolic

Origin of parabolic

Words nearby parabolic

Other definitions for parabolic (2 of 2)

Origin of parabolic

OTHER WORDS FROM parabolic

Words related to parabolic

How to use parabolic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for parabolic (1 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for parabolic (2 of 2)

parabolical

Derived forms of parabolic