# parabola

> English word · Noun · IPA /pəˈɹæbələ/ · frequency rank #60,342

## Definitions
1. The conic section formed by the intersection of a cone with a plane parallel to a tangent plane to the cone; the locus of points equidistant from a fixed point (the focus) and line (the directrix).
2. Synonym of parable.

## Etymology
Borrowed from New Latin parabola, from Ancient Greek παραβολή (parabolḗ), from παραβάλλω (parabállō, “I set side by side”), from παρά (pará, “beside”) + βάλλω (bállō, “I throw”). Doublet of parable, parole, and palaver.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/parabola