Meaning & use
asymptote
Last updated
A straight line that a curve approaches ever more closely but never actually touches or crosses.
See it in a sentence
As x increases, the graph approaches the x-axis, which acts as its asymptote.
Economists sometimes describe diminishing returns as approaching an asymptote.
A note on using this word
A core concept in calculus and graphing, often used metaphorically outside math to describe a limit that is approached but never quite reached.
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