hīˈpərbələ, -pə̄b-, -pəib- noun
( plural hyperbolas -ləz ; or hyperbo·lae -ˌlē, -ˌlī)
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek hyperbolē hyperbola, excess
: a plane curve generated by a point so moving that its distance from a fixed point divided by its distance from a fixed line is a positive constant greater than 1 : a curve formed by a section of a right circular cone when the cutting plane makes a greater angle with the base than the cone's side makes
[s]hyperbol.jpg[/s] [
hyperbola: AB, CD axes; F, F' foci; xy, zw asymptotes; h, h', h'', h''' hyperbola
]