a straight line that is closely approached by a plane curve so that the perpendicular distance between them decreases to zero as the distance from the origin increases to infinity
Word origin
C17: from Greek asumptōtos not falling together, from a-1 + syn- + ptōtos inclined to fall, from piptein to fall
asymptote in American English
(ˈæsɪmˌtoʊt; ˈæsɪmpˌtoʊt)
noun
Ancient Mathematics
a straight line always approaching but never meeting a curve; tangent to a curve at infinity
Derived forms
asymptotic (ˌasympˈtotic) (ˌæsɪmˈtɑtɪk)
adjective or ˌasympˈtotical
asymptotically (ˌasympˈtotically)
adverb
Word origin
ModL asymptota < Gr asymptōtos < a-, not + symptōtos, self-intersecting < syn-, together + piptein, to fall: see feather