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prettygoodwordI've been holding off on this one because it gets complicated, but here goes:
ogive - n., a peaked curve formed by two intersecting circular (or elliptical) arcs, as well as various things in this shape: (a) a Gothic arch, (b) a diagonal vaulting rib (also Gothic architecture), (c) the curved nose of a missle, bullet, or rocket, (d) (Stat.) the graph of a cumulative distribution function.
The last may seem a bit out of place, but for a normal distribution, the shape is similar to one half of a Gothic arch. If you're having trouble visualizing the figure, go look at a Gothic arch. Don't worry, I can wait till you get back. Pronounced oh-jeyev with stress on either syllable. Dictionaries disagree on the etymology. English definitely took it from Middle French, where it was spelled either ogive or augive, but further back the trail gets obscure -- possible sources include (via Spanish) Arabic al-jibb, the well, Latin obviāre, to resist.
---L.
ogive - n., a peaked curve formed by two intersecting circular (or elliptical) arcs, as well as various things in this shape: (a) a Gothic arch, (b) a diagonal vaulting rib (also Gothic architecture), (c) the curved nose of a missle, bullet, or rocket, (d) (Stat.) the graph of a cumulative distribution function.
The last may seem a bit out of place, but for a normal distribution, the shape is similar to one half of a Gothic arch. If you're having trouble visualizing the figure, go look at a Gothic arch. Don't worry, I can wait till you get back. Pronounced oh-jeyev with stress on either syllable. Dictionaries disagree on the etymology. English definitely took it from Middle French, where it was spelled either ogive or augive, but further back the trail gets obscure -- possible sources include (via Spanish) Arabic al-jibb, the well, Latin obviāre, to resist.
---L.
