Definitions

1. noun

A curve, especially the path traced by a point on a rope that is being pulled along a fixed plane while the rope is being unwound, or the curve traced by the point on a wheel as it rolls along a fixed path.

“The tractrix was an essential concept in the study of kinematics and the motion of objects.”

2. noun

A curve in mathematics, particularly in the study of differential equations and dynamical systems.

“The mathematician specialized in the study of tractrices and their applications in physics and engineering.”