What does "hyperbolic" mean?
Hyperbolic: (Rhet.) Relating to, containing, or of the nature of, hyperbole; exaggerating or diminishing beyond the fact; exceeding the truth; as, an hyperbolical expression. "This hyperbolical epitaph." Fuller. Hyperbolic functions (Math.), certain functions which have relations to the hyperbola corresponding to those which sines, cosines, tangents, etc., have to the circle; and hence, called hyperbolic sines, hyperbolic cosines, etc. -- Hyperbolic logarithm. See Logarithm. -- Hyperbolic spiral (Math.), a spiral curve, the law of which is, that the distance from the pole to the generating point varies inversely as the angle swept over by the radius vector.
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