asymptote

circa 1650, from Ancient Greek ἀσύμπτωτη (asúmptōtē), the feminine of Apollonius Pergaeus' (circa 200 BC) Ancient Greek adjective ἀσύμπτωτος (asúmptōtos, “not falling together”), from ἀ- (a-, “not”) +‎ συν- (sun-, “together”) +‎ πτωτός (ptōtós, “fallen”).

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈæsɪmptoʊ̯t/, /ˈæsɪmtoʊ̯t/, /ˈeɪ̯sɪmtoʊ̯t/, /ˈæsɪmtɒt/

asymptote (plural asymptotes)

1. (mathematical analysis) A straight line which a curve approaches arbitrarily closely as it goes 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, page 117:

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

asymptote (third-person singular simple present asymptotes, present participle asymptoting, simple past and past participle asymptoted)

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

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

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀσύμπτωτος (asúmptōtos).

• IPA^(key): /a.sɛ̃p.tɔt/

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asymptote f (plural asymptotes)

1. (mathematical analysis) asymptote

• asymptotique

• “asymptote”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.