developable

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   capable of being developed, improved, built on, or brought into a more complete state

   The survey identified three hectares of developable land near the station.

2. 2
   adj

   describing a curved surface that can be unfolded onto a plane without stretching or distortion

   A cylinder is a developable surface, but a sphere is not.

3. 3
   noun

   a developable surface in geometry

   The cone is a developable generated by a moving straight line.

From develop + -able. The geometrical use arose for ruled surfaces that can be developed, or laid flat, in a plane without changing distances.

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