Word Study
catenary
CIDE DICTIONARY
catenary, a. [L. catenarius, fr. catena a chain. See Chain.].
Relating to a chain; like a chain; as, a catenary curve. [1913 Webster]
catenary, n.
The curve formed by a rope or chain of uniform density and perfect flexibility, hanging freely between two points of suspension, not in the same vertical line. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
catenary, n. & adj.
--n. (pl. -ies) a curve formed by a uniform chain hanging freely from two points not in the same vertical line.
--adj. of or resembling such a curve.
--n. (pl. -ies) a curve formed by a uniform chain hanging freely from two points not in the same vertical line.
--adj. of or resembling such a curve.
Idiom
catenary bridge a suspension bridge hung from such chains.
Etymology
L catenarius f. catena chain
THESAURUS
catenary
arc, bow, cadence, catacaustic, caustic, circle, conchoid, crook, curl, curve, decline, decurrence, diacaustic, droop, ellipse, festoon, hook, hyperbola, lapse, lituus, lowering, parabola, sag, sinkage, sinus, slump, submergence, subsidence, swag, traceryROGET THESAURUS
catenary
Curvature
N curvature, curvity, curvation, incurvature, incurvity, incurvation, bend, flexure, flexion, flection, conflexure, crook, hook, bought, bending, deflection, deflexion, inflection, inflexion, concameration, arcuation, devexity, turn, deviation, detour, sweep, curl, curling, bough, recurvity, recurvation, sinuosity, kink, carve, arc, arch, arcade, vault, bow, crescent, half-moon, lunule, horseshoe, loop, crane neck, parabola, hyperbola, helix, spiral, catenary, festoon, conchoid, cardioid, caustic, tracery, arched ceiling, arched roof, bay window, bow window, sine curve, spline, spline curve, spline function, obliquity, curved, curviform, curvilineal, curvilinear, devex, devious, recurved, recurvous, crump, bowed, vaulted, hooked, falciform, falcated, semicircular, crescentic, sinusoid, parabolic, paraboloid, luniform, lunular, semilunar, conchoidal, helical, double helical, spiral, kinky, cordiform, cordated, cardioid, heart shaped, bell shaped, boat shaped, crescent shaped, lens shaped, moon shaped, oar shaped, shield shaped, sickle shaped, tongue shaped, pear shaped, fig shaped, kidney-shaped, reniform, lentiform, lenticular, bow-legged, oblique, circular, aduncated, arclike, arcuate, arched, beaked, bicorn, bicornuous, bicornute, clypeate, clypeiform, cymbiform, embowed, galeiform, hamate, hamiform, hamous, hooked, linguiform, lingulate, lobiform, lunate, navicular, peltate, remiform, rhamphoid, rostrate, rostriferous, rostroid, scutate, scaphoid, uncate, unguiculate, unguiform.For further exploring for "catenary" in Webster Dictionary Online
