parabolic

¹ American  

[par-uh-bol-ik] / ˌpær əˈbɒl ɪk /

adjective

1. having the form or outline of a parabola.

2. having a longitudinal section in the form of a paraboloid or parabola.

   a parabolic reflector.

3. of or relating to a parabola.

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parabolic ² American  

[par-uh-bol-ik] / ˌpær əˈbɒl ɪk /

Sometimes parabolical

adjective

1. of, relating to, or involving a parable.

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parabolic ¹ British  

/ ˌpærəˈbɒlɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or shaped like a parabola

2. shaped like a paraboloid

   a parabolic mirror

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parabolic ² British  

/ ˌpærəˈbɒlɪk /

adjective

1. of or resembling a parable

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Other Word Forms

• nonparabolical adjective
• nonparabolically adverb
• parabolicalism noun
• parabolically adverb

Etymology

Origin of parabolic¹

First recorded in 1695–1705; parabol(a) + -ic

Origin of parabolic²

1650–60; < Late Latin parabolicus metaphoric < Late Greek parabolikós figurative, equivalent to Greek parabol ( ḗ ) parable + -ikos -ic

Explanation

Something that's parabolic symbolizes something or teaches a simple lesson. Many fables and Bible stories are parabolic. If your grandfather's stories always end with him saying, "And the moral of this story is..." then you can describe them as parabolic. They are parables, in other words, tales that try to teach a moral or religious lesson. Another way to use the adjective parabolic is to mean "like a parabola," or a mathematical curve on a graph. The Greek root of parabolic is parabolikos, "figurative," from parabole, "comparison or parable," or literally "a throwing beside."

Example Sentences

“We’ve seen parabolic moves in gold and silver,” said Ron Albahary, chief investment officer at Laird Norton Wetherby.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 1, 2026

Though lower interest rates ought to provide a fillip for gold and silver, it seems investors are looking for scraps of news to unwind their recent parabolic rallies.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

Pointing to gold’s parabolic climb in recent months, which recently pushed it above $5,600 a troy ounce, he added, “There is no liquidity. It went up. On what?”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

The moves have been parabolic and, historically, they don’t get repaired by going sideways.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

We waded into the crowd, hands linked, our snaking line slightly parabolic in the middle where Olive buoyed up like an astronaut walking on the moon.

From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs

Related Words

• figurative
• metaphorical