cube

cube

cube¹ [kyo͞ob]

n.

[Fr < L cubus < Gr kybos, a cube, die, vertebra < IE base * keu(b)-, to bend, turn > HIP¹, HIVE, L cubare, to lie down]

1. a solid with six equal, square sides: see POLYHEDRON

2. anything having more or less this shape [an ice cube]

3. the product obtained by multiplying a given number or quantity by its square; third power [the cube of 3 is 27 (3 × 3 × 3)]

vt.

cubed, cubing

1. to raise to the third power; obtain the cube of (a number or quantity)

2. to cut or shape into cubes; dice [cube the vegetables]

3. to score (meat) in a crisscross pattern in order to tenderize it

4. to measure the cubic content of

cuber

n.

☆ cube² [kyo͞o′bā, ko͞o′bā ]

n.

[< Sp quibey < native name]

any tropical American plant of a genus (Lonchocarpus) of the pea family, whose roots yield rotenone