golden section

noun

: a proportion (such as one involving a line divided into two segments or the length and width of a rectangle and their sum) in which the ratio of the whole to the larger part is the same as the ratio of the larger part to the smaller

Examples of golden section in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Within poplar trees, for example, researchers modeling the golden section in plants found that the angle between a poplar branch shooting off a main stem was 34.4 degrees – which, when corresponding to a 90 degree angle, satisfied the golden ratio. 4. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024 Modeling golden section in plants Bulletin of the Centre for Research and Interdisciplinary Study. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of golden section was in 1820

Dictionary Entries Near golden section

Cite this Entry

“Golden section.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/golden%20section. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on golden section

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!