-gedde-

a. [ Gr. ge`a, gh^, earth + 'adhfa`gos eating one's fill; gluttonous. ] (Zool.) Living in the earth; -- applied to the ground beetles.

n. A geodetic line or curve. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Cf. F. géodésique. ] 1. (Math.) Of or pertaining to geodesy; geodetic. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Architecture) Made of lightweight structural supporting elements connected in a manner to provide great rigidity; -- of structures; as, The geodesic dome was invented by R. Buckminster Fuller. [ PJC ]

n. A domelike structure invented by R. Buckminster Fuller, in which straight structural parts are connected to form interlocking polygons, affording great strength and rigidity combined with light weight. The typical form has the outlines of the top half of an icosahedron, with the triangular spaces filled with structural members forming triangles, hexagons, and squares. [ PJC ]

n. One versed in geodesy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;; ge`a, gh^, the earth + &unr_; to divide: cf. F. géodésie. ] (Math.) That branch of applied mathematics which determines, by means of observations and measurements, the figures and areas of large portions of the earth's surface, or the general figure and dimenshions of the earth; or that branch of surveying in which the curvature of the earth is taken into account, as in the surveys of States, or of long lines of coast.

{ } a. Of or pertaining to geodesy; obtained or determined by the operations of geodesy; engaged in geodesy; geodesic; as, geodetic surveying; geodetic observers. [ 1913 Webster ]

Geodetic line or
Geodetic curve, the shortest line that can be drawn between two points on the elipsoidal surface of the earth; a curve drawn on any given surface so that the osculating plane of the curve at every point shall contain the normal to the surface; the minimum line that can be drawn on any surface between any two points. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a geodetic manner; according to geodesy. [ 1913 Webster ]