Noun, pl. nodes
(Medicine)
1. A hard concretion or incrustation which forms upon bones attacked with rheumatism, gout, or syphilis; sometimes also, a swelling in the neighborhood of a joint. (wiktionary.org)
2. A pathological swelling or enlargement (as of a rheumatic joint). (merriam-webster.com)
3. A discrete mass of one kind of tissue enclosed in tissue of a different kind. (merriam-webster.com)
(Astronomy)
1. The point where the orbit of a planet, as viewed from the Sun, intersects the ecliptic. The ascending and descending nodes refer respectively to the points where the planet moves from S to N and N to S. The respective symbols are ☊ and ☋. (wiktionary.org)
2. Either of the two points where the orbit of a planet or comet intersects the ecliptic; also : either of the points at which the orbit of an earth satellite crosses the plane of the equator. (merriam-webster.com)
(Physics)
1. A point, line, or surface of a vibrating body or system that is free or relatively free from vibratory motion. (merriam-webster.com)
2. A point at which a wave has an amplitude of zero. (merriam-webster.com)
3. The point of minimum displacement in a periodic system. (wordnetweb.princeton.edu)
(Botany)
1. A stem node. (wiktionary.org)
2. A point on a stem at which a leaf or leaves are inserted. (merriam-webster.com)
3. A point at which a curve intersects itself in such a manner that the branches have different tangents. (merriam-webster.com)
4. A point at which subsidiary parts originate or center. (merriam-webster.com)
(Computer networking)
A computer or other device attached to a network. (wiktionary.org)
(Computing theory)
A vertex or a leaf in a graph of a network, or other element in a data structure. (wiktionary.org)
(Engineering)
The point at which the lines of a funicular machine meet from different angular directions; — called also knot. (wiktionary.org)
(Geometry)
1. The point at which a curve crosses itself, being a double point of the curve. (wiktionary.org)
(Graph theory)
A vertex of a graph. (wiktionary.org)
(Music/Theatre)
1. One of the fixed points of a sonorous string, when it vibrates by aliquot parts, and produces the harmonic tones; nodal line or point. (wiktionary.org)
2. An entangling complication (as in a drama). (merriam-webster.com)
3. The knot, intrigue, or plot of a piece. (wiktionary.org)
(Technical)
A hole in the gnomon of a sundial, through which passes the ray of light which marks the hour of the day, the parallels of the Sun’s declination, his place in the ecliptic, etc. (wiktionary.org)
(Other definitions)
A knot, knob, protuberance or swelling. (wiktionary.org)
Word origin: From Latin nodus “knot”