cartesian

3 definitions found

cartesian - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Cartesian \Car*te"sian\, n.
     An adherent of Descartes.
     [1913 Webster]

  Cartesian \Car*te"sian\, a. [From Renatus Cartesius, Latinized
     from of Ren['e] Descartes: cf. F. cart['e]sien.]
     Of or pertaining to the French philosopher Ren['e] Descartes,
     or his philosophy.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           The Cartesion argument for reality of matter. --Sir W.
                                                    Hamilton.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Cartesian coordinates (Geom), distance of a point from
        lines or planes; -- used in a system of representing
        geometric quantities, invented by Descartes.
  
     Cartesian devil, a small hollow glass figure, used in
        connection with a jar of water having an elastic top, to
        illustrate the effect of the compression or expansion of
        air in changing the specific gravity of bodies.
  
     Cartesion oval (Geom.), a curve such that, for any point of
        the curve mr + m'r' = c, where r and r' are the distances
        of the point from the two foci and m, m' and c are
        constant; -- used by Descartes.
        [1913 Webster]

cartesian - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Cartesian
      adj 1: of or relating to Rene Descartes or his works; "Cartesian
             linguistics"
      n 1: a follower of Cartesian thought