METACENTRE

metacenter, metacentre

(noun) (shipbuilding) the point of intersection between two vertical lines, one line through the center of buoyancy of the hull of a ship in equilibrium and the other line through the center of buoyancy of the hull when the ship is inclined to one side; the distance of this intersection above the center of gravity is an indication of the stability of the ship

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

metacentre (plural metacentres)

(physics, nautical) A midway point between a ship's centre of buoyancy when upright and its centre of buoyancy when tilted; it must be above the centre of gravity to enable a tilting ship to return to an upright position.

Anagrams

• metacenter

Source: Wiktionary

Met`a*cen"ter or; Metacentre, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + center.] (Hydrostatics)

Definition: The point of intersection of a vertical line through the center of gravity of the fluid displaced by a floating body which is tipped through a small angle from its position of equilibrium, and the inclined line which was vertical through the center of gravity of the body when in equilibrium.

Note: When the metacenter is above the center of gravity, the position of the body is stable; when below it, unstable.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition