divergencyn.
1.
a. The quality or state of being divergent; the amount or degree of divergence.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > inclination > divergence > [noun] > quality or amount of
divergency1709
1709 G. Berkeley Ess. New Theory of Vision §6. 4 The apparent Distance still increasing, as the Divergency of the Rays decreases.
?1790 J. Imison School of Arts (ed. 2) 86 I..present it to the balls in their diverging state..if it increase their divergency..it shews their electricity to be..negative.
1831 D. Brewster Treat. Optics i. §16. 7 The rays will have the same divergency after reflexion as they had before it.
b. transferred and figurative.
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1860 B. F. Westcott Introd. Study Gospels (new ed.) vii. 326 General agreement will be diversified by characteristic divergencies.
1879 R. A. Proctor Pleasant Ways Sci. xiii. 327 That divergency which..characterizes the relationship between man and the anthropoid ape.
2. Mathematics. Divergent character or quality (of a series).
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1837 Penny Cycl. VII. 486/1 Of series of positive terms which diminish without limit, a test of convergency or divergency may frequently be given as follows.
1887 H. S. Hall & S. R. Knight Higher Algebra §279. 230 Rules by which we can test the convergency or divergency of a given series without effecting its summation.
3. = divergence n. 1.
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the world > space > relative position > inclination > divergence > [noun]
forkinga1400
shearingc1400
divarication1578
bifurcation1646
divergence1656
divergency1738
divergement1766
trifurcation1884
1738 E. Chambers Cycl. (ed. 2) at Virtual Focus It is also called, point of dispersion, or divergency [1728 Divergence]; in opposition to the focus, which is called the point of concurrence.
1833 T. Chalmers On Power Wisdom & Goodness of God I. iii. 144 The point of departure or divergency.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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