geodesic -
(mathematics) the shortest line between two points on a mathematically defined surface (as a straight line on a plane or an arc of a great circle on a sphere)
A geodesic is a generalization of the notion of a "straight line" to "curved spaces". In the presence of a metric, geodesics are defined to be the shortest path between points in the space. In the presence of an affine connection, geodesics are defined to be curves whose tangent vectors remain parallel if they are transported along it.
OmegaWiki Dictionary
Ω
geodesic The locally shortest connection between two points.
geodesic A geometric form basic to structures using short sections of lightweight material joined into interlocking polygons.
geodesic A structural system developed by R. Buckminster Fuller to create domes using geodesic forms.
