spline

spline

[splīn]

(design engineering)

One of a number of equally spaced keys cut integral with a shaft, or similarly, keyways in a hubbed part; the mated pair permits the transmission of rotation or translatory motion along the axis of the shaft.

(engineering)

A strip of wood, metal, or plastic.

(graphic arts)

A flexible strip used in drawing curves.

(mathematics)

A function used to approximate a specified function on an interval, consisting of pieces which are defined uniquely on a set of subintervals, usually as polynomials or some other simple form, and which match up with each other and the prescribed function at the end points of the subintervals with a sufficiently high degree of accuracy.

Spline

A thin flat piece of wood used between two pieces of heavy subflooring, taking the place of a tongue-and-groove joint; also used as a means of stiffening a miter joint.

spline, false tongue, feather, slip feather, slip tongue

spline, 2

spline, 1

1. A long thin strip of wood or metal which is inserted in a slot formed by two members, each of which is grooved and butted against the other.

2. In a suspended acoustical ceiling, a strip of metal or hard fiber inserted in the slot between adjacent acoustical tiles which butt against each other, forming a concealed mechanical joint.

spline

In computer graphics, a smooth curve that runs through a series of given points. The term is often used to refer to any curve, because long before computers, a spline was a flat, pliable strip of wood or metal that was bent into a desired shape for drawing curves on paper. See Bezier and B-spline.