Definition of "spline" [spline]

• Any of a series of projections on a shaft that fit into slots on a corresponding shaft, enabling both to rotate together. (noun)
• The groove or slot for such a projection. (noun)
• A flexible piece of wood, hard rubber, or metal used in drawing curves. (noun)
• A wooden or metal strip; a slat. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "(The word spline is often incorrectly used for this.)"
• ""exposure" would have taught them that a spline is a small piece of wood inserted to keep a mortise joint tight."
• "In most aluminum-framed screens, the screen material is held in place by a vinyl bead called spline which is inserted into a channel that runs the entire perimeter of the frame."