From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Parabolic \Par'a*bol"ic\, Parabolical \Par'a*bol"ic*al\, adjective [Gr. paraboliko's figurative: cf. F. parabolique. See {Parable}.]
1. Of the nature of a parable; expressed by a parable or figure; allegorical; as, parabolical instruction.
2. [From {Parabola}.] (Geom.) (a) Having the form or nature of a parabola; pertaining to, or resembling, a parabola; as, a parabolic curve. (b) Having a form like that generated by the revolution of a parabola, or by a line that moves on a parabola as a directing curve; as, a parabolic conoid; a parabolic reflector; a parabolic antenna. [1913 Webster +PJC]
{Parabolic conoid}, a paraboloid; a conoid whose directing curve is a parabola. See {Conoid}.
{Parabolic mirror} (Opt.), a mirror having a paraboloidal surface which gives for parallel rays (as those from very distant objects) images free from aberration. It is used in reflecting telescopes.
{Parabolic spindle}, the solid generated by revolving the portion of a parabola cut off by a line drawn at right angles to the axis of the curve, about that line as an axis.
{Parabolic spiral}, a spiral curve conceived to be formed by the periphery of a semiparabola when its axis is wrapped about a circle; also, any other spiral curve having an analogy to the parabola.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
adjective
1: resembling or expressed by parables [syn: {parabolical}]
2: having the form of a parabola [syn: {parabolical}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
18 Moby Thesaurus words for "parabolic": allegoric, bell-like, bell-shaped, campaniform, campanular, campanulate, ellipsoid, elliptic, fabulous, fictional, legendary, mythic, mythological, mythopoeic, mythopoetic, romantic, romanticized, saucer-shaped
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