metacentre

(shipbuilding) the point of intersection between two vertical lines, one line through the center of buoyancy of the hull of a ship in equilibrium and the other line through the center of buoyancy of the hull when the ship is inclined to one side; the distance of this intersection above the center of gravity is an indication of the stability of the ship

（造船）平衡状態にある船体の浮心を通る鉛直線と、船が片側に傾いたときの浮心を通る鉛直線との交点；この交点の重心からの高さは船の安定性の指標となる