(pl. -ies)
1- a curve formed by a wire, rope, or chain hanging freely from two points that are on the same horizontal level悬链线（悬于同一水平线两端的线、绳或链自由下垂所形成的曲线）。
1.1
- a wire, rope, or chain forming such a curve构成悬链线的线（或绳链）。
词源
mid 18th cent.: from Latin catenarius 'relating to a chain'， from catena 'chain'.