Meaning & use
parabola
A symmetrical, U-shaped curve formed by the graph of a quadratic equation or by the path of an object under gravity.
See it in a sentence
The basketball traced a parabola as it arced toward the hoop.
The graph of y equals x squared is a simple parabola opening upward.
A note on using this word
Parabola describes a specific mathematical curve, distinct from a general arc; it names both a quadratic function's graph and a projectile's trajectory.
Words with a similar meaning
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