Anticlastic

/ˌæntɪˈklæstɪk/ adjective

Definition

Curving in opposite directions along perpendicular axes; describing a surface that curves convexly in one direction and concavely in another.

Etymology

From anti- (opposite) + Greek klasis (breaking, bending). Technical term in geometry, architecture, and material science describing bidirectional curvature.

Kelly Says

Anticlastic surfaces are what you see in saddles, some architectural domes, or when you twist a fabric—opposite curves in perpendicular directions create fascinating structural properties.

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