triˈaxial, a.
[f. tri- 1 + L. axi-s axis + -al1.]
Having three axes: said in Geom. of co-ordinates; in Zool. of sponge-spicules. Also, occurring or responding in three mutually perpendicular directions.
| 1886 Proc. Zool. Soc. 21 Dec. 581 A regular triaxial network is formed. 1896 Duke of Argyll Philos. Belief 110 The intercalation of triaxial spiculae, at the proper intervals or interspaces. 1924 J. G. A. Skerl tr. A. Wegener's Origin of Continents & Oceans xiii. 202 In his latest work Helmert infers, from the distribution of the force of gravity on the earth's surface, that the earth is a triaxial ellipsoid. 1951 Engineering 14 Dec. 746/2 A state of triaxial stress, according to its severity, suppresses deformation by shear and makes cleavage more probable. 1975 Nature 31 Jan. 327/2 A single range triaxial fluxgate magnetometer capable of measuring fields up to 10 gauss along each orthogonal axis. 1978 Sci. Amer. Jan. 48/2 The criterion of triaxial motion meant that a ball-and-socket arrangement would be the best means of achieving a mechanical interlock between components. |
Hence ˌtriaxiˈality, triaxial nature; triˈaxially adv.
| 1970 Nature 14 Mar. 1008/2 Because of triaxiality the Moon theoretically has three free oscillations with periods of about 1, 40 and 800 months in the directions of its axes. 1972 Physics Bull. Nov. 669/1 There are clearly cases when the micromode of fracture is dependent on triaxiality of stress and very sensitive to temperature or strain rate. 1982 Sci. Amer. May 116c/1 (Advt.), By means of a triaxially stabilized altitude control system, it..directs the solar panels towards the sun. |