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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Proportional

Pro-por'tion-al, a.

adjective

a. [Lat. proportionalis, Fr. proportionnel, Sp. & Pg. proporcional, It. proporzionale.] 1. Having a due proportion or comparative relation; being in suitable proportion or degree; as, the parts of an edifice are proportional. 2. Being in proportion; having a proper relation. 3. Relating to, or securing, proportion. 4. (Math.) Constituting a proportion; having the same, or a constant, ratio; as, proportional quantities; momentum is proportional to quantity of matter.

Proportional logarithms. The same as Logarithmic scale.—Proportional scale, a scale on which are marked parts proportional to the logarithms of the natural numbers; a logarithmic scale. Math. Rev.—Proportional scales, compasses, dividers, and the like, instruments for preserving the proportions of drawings or parts while changing their size.

Pro-por'tion-al, a.

adjective

a. 1. (Math.) Any number or quantity in a proportion.

Sense 2. (Chem.) The same as Proportionals. See Proportionals.

Continued proportionals, quantities the ratio of the first to the second of which, of the second to the third, of the third to the fourth, and so on, are all equal.—Mean proportional, the middle term of three in continued proportion, or the square root of the product of the first and third; thus, 4 is a mean proportional between 1 and 16.