spline

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: spine, saline, splint, splice, pline, upline

Antonyms: spine, saline, splint, splice, pline, upline

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. A long, thin piece of metal or wood. {{defdate|from the mid 18th c}}
2. {{lb|en|woodworking}} A strip of wood or other material inserted into grooves in each of two pieces of wood to provide additional surface for gluing.
3. A flexible strip of metal or other material, that may be bent into a curve and used in a similar manner to a [[ruler]] to draw smooth curves between points.
4. {{lb|en|mathematics|computing}} Any of a number of [[smooth]] [[curve]]s used to join points. {{C|en|Curves}}
5. {{senseid|en|Q581809}} {{lb|en|mechanics}} A ridge or tooth on a [[drive shaft]] that meshes with a corresponding groove in a mating piece and transfers torque to it, maintaining the angular correspondence between the pieces; either the ridge or the groove, as part of a set of both (splines); the whole set of ridges and grooves.
6. {{senseid|en|mechanical component, feather or featherlike or keylike}} A rectangular piece that fits [[groove]]s like key seats in a [[hub]] and a [[shaft]], so that while the one may slide [[endwise]] on the other, both must revolve together.

Verb

1. {{lb|en|mathematics|computing}} To smooth (a curve or surface) by means of a spline.
2. {{lb|en|engineering}} To fit with a [[spline]].
3. {{lb|en|engineering}} To fasten to or together with a [[spline]].

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.