Bra-chȳst'o-chrōne, n.

(-kĭst'o-krōn), n. [Fr. brachystochrone, incorrectly for brachistochrome; Gr. βράχιστος, shortest, superl. of βραχύς, short, and χρόνος, time.] A curve, in which a body, starting from a given point, and descending solely by the force of gravity, will reach another given point in it in a shorter time than it could by any other path. This curve of quickest descent, as it is sometimes called, is the same as the cycloid. Math. Dict.