a. and sb. [Formed as prec. + -IC. Cf. F. loxodromique.]
A. adj. Pertaining to oblique sailing, or sailing by the rhumb. Loxodromic chart, projection, another name for Mercator’s projection. Loxodromic curve, line, spiral, a rhumb-line. Loxodromic tables, traverse tables.
1702. J. Ralphson, Math. Dict., Loxodromick Line.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Table, Loxodromick Tables.
1834. Nat. Philos., Navigation, II. iv. § 51. 19 (U. K. S.). The oblique rhumb line is called also the Loxodromic curve.
1839. Penny Cycl., XIV. 183/1. Loxodromic spiral, the curve on which a ship sails when her course is always on one point of the compass. It is called in English works Rhumb Line.
1855. Maury, Phys. Geog. Sea (1859), § 123. These … counter-currents are also made to move in a sort of spiral or loxodromic curve.
B. sb. = Loxodromic line, table. b. Loxodromics: the art of oblique sailing.
a. 1679. Sir J. Moore, Syst. Math. (1681), II. 120. Loxodromiques or Traverse-Tables of Miles, with the Difference of Longitudes and Latitudes.
1704. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., Loxodromiques, is the Art or Way of oblique sailing by the Rumb…. Hence the Tables of Rhumbs, or the Traverse Table of Miles,… is by Sir J. Moore, and others, called by this Name of Loxodromiques.
1762. Dunn, in Phil. Trans., LIII. 66. If rightly correspondent with the loxodromiques or rhumbs.
1860. Maury, Phys. Geog. Sea, iv. § 235. It is diverted from the great circle path and forced to take up its line of march, either in spirals about a point on the surface of the earth, or in loxodromics about its axis.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Loxodromic, the line of a ship’s way when sailing oblique to the meridian.
