latus rectum

noun

The chord passing through a focus of a conic section, parallel to the directrix and terminated both ways by the curve. It is the parameter of the principal axis.

OriginLatin latus →
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounlatus rectum (plural latera recta or latus rectums)

plural latera recta · plural latus rectums

  1. geometryThe chord passing through a focus of a conic section, parallel to the directrix and terminated both ways by the curve. It is the parameter of the principal axis.

Origin

  1. Latinlatus“side”
  2. Englishlatus rectum

Latin latus (“side”) + rectum (“right”)

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

latus rectum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/latus%20rectum

MLA

“latus rectum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/latus%20rectum. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “latus rectum,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/latus%20rectum.

Source: latus rectum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.