sextic

[ sek-stik ]

adjective

1. of the sixth degree.

noun

1. a quantity of the sixth degree.
2. an equation of the sixth degree.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sextic¹

1850–55; < Latin sext ( us ) sixth + -ic

Example Sentences

Observe that the radical, square root of a quartic function, is connected with the theory of elliptic functions, and the radical, square root of a sextic function, with that of the first kind of Abelian functions, but that the next kind of Abelian functions does not depend on the radical, square root of an octic function.

From Project Gutenberg

And so if D = 2, then the transformed curve is a nodal quartic; ϕ can be expressed as the square root of a sextic function of θ and the theorem is, that the co-ordinates x, y, z of a point of the tricursal curve can be expressed as proportional to rational and integral functions of θ, and of the square root of a sextic function of θ.

From Project Gutenberg

This is, of course, useless for the solution of the quintic equation, which, as already mentioned, does not admit of solution by radicals; but the equation of the sixth order, Lagrange’s resolvent sextic, is very important, and is intimately connected with all the later investigations in the theory.

From Project Gutenberg

Associated words: sexenary, hexaplar, sextant, sextuple, sextet, sestet, sextic, senary. six-cornered, a. hexangular, hexagonal. six days. hexahemeron. six fingers or toes.

From Project Gutenberg