catenary
/kəˈtiːnəri
/noun (plural catenaries)
1A curve formed by a wire, rope, or chain hanging freely from two points that are not in the same vertical line: [as modifier]: a catenary wire...
- A catenary is the curve describing a rope or chain hanging loosely between two fixed points.
- Other topics which Adrain wrote about include a study of the catenary, and other curves which he called isotomous.
- While others in the profession worked with straight edges, Gaudi invented his own methods for modeling parabolic arches from the catenary curve created by suspending a length of chain between two points.
1.1A wire, rope, or chain forming a catenary: a catenary from the electrical grid...
- I later found out that the problem was a transformer fire in the Bronx, which resulted in a loss of power to the overhead catenary along the Hell Gate Bridge line.
- To add certainty to these movements, the officers used the cables of the RENFE catenary and the mountains in the background as a point of reference.
- On the way, we passed underneath the METRA line we had ridden earlier, over a waterway, past the Skokie Shops, and experienced a power change as the train switched from third rail to overhead catenary power.
Origin
Mid 18th century: from Latin catenarius 'relating to a chain', from catena 'chain'.