What does "epicycloid" mean?
Epicycloid: A curve traced by a point in the circumference of a circle which rolls on the convex side of a fixed circle. Note: Any point rigidly connected with the rolling circle, but not in its circumference, traces a curve called an epitrochoid. The curve traced by a point in the circumference of the rolling circle when it rolls on the concave side of a fixed circle is called a hypocycloid; the curve traced by a point rigidly connected with the rolling circle in this case, but not its circumference, is called a hypotrochoid. All the curves mentioned above belong to the class class called roulettes or trochoids. See Trochoid.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00