quarticn.adj.
/ˈkwɔːtɪk/, U.S. /ˈkwɔrdɪk/ A. n.
Mathematics. An expression, curve, or surface of the fourth degree.
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the world > relative properties > number > geometry > surface > [noun]
superficec1400
superficies1530
surface1604
superficie1702
wave-surface1833
developable1847
quartic1854
scroll1862
conicoid1863
regulus1874
Riemann surface1876
tetrahedroid1889
construct1902
skew1902
trend surface1956
the world > relative properties > number > geometry > curve > [noun] > of specific order
cissoid1656
conchoid1798
quartic1854
nonic1856
Cayleyan1873
1854 A. Cayley in Proc. Royal Soc. 7 381 The memoir concludes with a table of the covariants of a quadric, a cubic, and a quartic.
1873 G. Salmon Treat. Higher Plane Curves (ed. 2) vi. 231 Quartics with two nodes, in the case where these are the circular points at infinity, have been extensively studied.
1914 Amer. Jrnl. Math. 36 357 Whereas the geometry of a planar cubic curve can be regarded as fairly complete, that of the quartic is far from being so.
1972 M. Kline Math. Thought ix. 195 Khayyam..also solved one quartic..the roots of which are determined by the intersection of a hyperbola and a circle.
1990 IMA Jrnl. Appl. Math. 44 100 To see this, we eliminate τ from (23) and square the resulting equation to obtain a quartic in s.
B. adj.
1. Mathematics. Of the fourth degree; involving the fourth and no higher power of an unknown quantity or a variable.
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the world > relative properties > number > algebra > [adjective] > relating to expressions > relating to equations > involving terms of specific highest power
quadratic1668
quadrato-quadratical1668
quadraticala1690
biordinal1853
octavic1854
quartic1856
nonic1910
1856 Proc. Royal Soc. 8 325 Distinctive conditions for all the different systems of equalities between the roots of a quartic or a quintic equation.
1870 Nature 3 Feb. 368/1 The President then made a statement of some results he had arrived at with reference to quartic surfaces.
1914 Ann. Math. 16 62 We may draw important conclusions as to the number of real bitangents to a quartic curve.
1992 G. Ellis Rings & Fields vii. 111 We call this cubic polynomial the cubic resolvant of our original quartic polynomial.
2. Of a steering wheel: shaped like a rectangle with rounded corners.
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society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > powered vehicle > parts and equipment of motor vehicles > [adjective] > type of steering-wheel
quartic1973
1973 Country Life 17 May 1417/2 A ‘quartic’ steering-wheel..is a two-spoke design shaped rather like a television screen.
1974 Daily Tel. 17 Sept. 6/5 It becomes the first Allegro to abandon the controversial squared-off ‘quartic’ steering wheel in favour of a conventional round wheel.
1995 New Scientist 23 Dec. 96/2 The ‘quartic’ steering wheel was introduced with the Austin Allegro in the 1970s, but the design was just too square to catch on.
2006 Scotsman (Nexis) 11 Aug. 15 Among the bits listed in the new catalogue prepared specially for the SD1 are the unique, almost quartic steering wheel.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.adj.1854