ogive. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

ogive

SYLLABICATION:	o·give
PRONUNCIATION:	jv
NOUN:	1. Statistics a. A distribution curve in which the frequencies are cumulative. b. A frequency distribution. 2. Architecture a. A diagonal rib of a Gothic vault. b. A pointed arch.
ETYMOLOGY:	Middle English ogif and French ogive, diagonal rib of a vault, both from Old French augive, probably from Vulgar Latin ^*obvitva, from Late Latin obvita, feminine past participle of obvire, to resist. See obviate.
OTHER FORMS:	o·gival —ADJECTIVE


The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.