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cusp

cusp

8.2
A pointed shape where two curved lines meet on an arch
  • noun
  • /kʌsp/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cúspide
  • So one thing I should say first is that this point, this point is called the cusp of the Mandelbrot set.

Examples

  • Simple, pronglike cusps are lined up in a single row, which foreshadows the long rows of simple, pronglike teeth in most modern odontocetes.

    Academic text (2001)
  • Smooth basically means intuitively that when you graph it, it has no sharp edges or cusps, and it has no sharp turns in orientation.

  • The architect designed the intricate Gothic arch, emphasizing the cusp where the two curves met.

  • At the cusp of the arch, the stonework formed an elegant point that captured the light beautifully.

  • As I stood beneath the cusp of the arch, I admired the way the lines elegantly converged.

Idioms

Close to reaching something important, like success or a big discovery

Surface Forms

cusp singular
cusps plural

Etymology

Cusp comes from the Latin word cuspis, meaning 'point' or 'spear'. Think of a small spear tip where two curves meet, and that image helps explain the pointed decorative shapes you see in Gothic arches.