synclastic, a. Geom.
(sɪnˈklæstɪk)
[f. Gr. σύν syn-1 (alike) + κλαστός, taken in the sense ‘bent’, f. κλᾶν to break.]
Of a curved surface: Having the same kind of curvature (concave or convex) in all directions. Opposed to anticlastic.
| 1867 Thomson & Tait Nat. Phil. I. i. §128 We may divide curved surfaces into Anticlastic and Synclastic. A saddle gives a good example of the former class; a ball of the latter. 1875 P. Frost Solid Geom. (ed. 2) I. 379 Any point of an ellipsoid is..a point..at which, if a tangent plane be drawn, the surface in the neighbourhood of the point lies entirely on one side of the tangent plane; such surfaces are called Synclastic. |