asymptote

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Noun

asymptote (plural asymptotes)

1. (analysis) A straight line which a curve approaches arbitrarily closely, as they go to infinity. The limit of the curve, its tangent "at infinity".
2. (by extension, figuratively) Anything which comes near to but never meets something else.
   • 1860: Frederic William Farrar, An Essay on the Origin of Language, [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=3zYQAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA117&dq=%22Language,+in+relation+to+thought,+must+ever+be+regarded+as+an+asymptote.%22&hl=en&ei=e9QrTMnEGpCaOPWDjbMJ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22Language%2C%20in%20relation%20to%20thought%2C%20must%20ever%20be%20regarded%20as%20an%20asymptote.%22&f=false page 117]

     Language, in relation to thought, must ever be regarded as an asymptote.

Translations

• French: asymptote
• German: Asymptote
• Italian: asintoto
• Portuguese: assíntota
• Russian: асимпто́та
• Spanish: asíntota

Verb

asymptote (asymptotes, present participle asymptoting; past and past participle asymptoted)

1. (analysis) To approach, but never quite touch, a straight line, as something goes to infinity.
   • 2006: Neil deGrasse Tyson, The Perimeter of Ignorance

     As you become more scientific, yes, the religiosity drops off, but it asymptotes.

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