Skip to main content
Urban Dictionary Merch
Your favorite words on things you can wear, drink from, read, or give to a friend.
The Urban Dictionary Store sells gifts you’ll have to explain.

reticulating splines 

Nonsense technobabble used in a production context.

Reticulating splines started off as an in-joke at Maxis and grew to fame with the widespread popularity of The Sims. While it does have a "real" meaning, this definition isn't actually correct in the context of its use. It's really a programming joke.

Reticulating splines is essentially filler. Don't want to describe what's holding up the program? It's reticulating splines. Why isn't the Internet working? The splines aren't reticulated. Heck, don't want to explain your calculus assignment? We're reticulating splines this week.

See also processor gremlins for the computer hardware equivalent.
Sorry the video took so long to upload. Reticulating splines took hours!
reticulating splines by ndm13 April 21, 2015

reticulating splines 

v.
A necessary computation performed by numerous Maxis Sim games. Content simply cannot be generated without meticulous reticulation.

See: reticulatingsplines on ytmnd for further information.
I just generated a random map, but had to wait for the game to finish reticulating splines.

reticulating splines 

The process of combining many short lines and curves into longer, interpolated ones called "splines."

Also, the process of combining many imprecise and abstract ideas into one larger, complex one.
Tomorrow I'm going to sit down and figure out the meaning of life, so I'll be reticulating splines.
reticulating splines by def5 December 30, 2008

reticulating splines 

Constructing network based functions that are defined by divisible intervals while approximating said network and composing it of pieces of simple functions defined on subintervals and joined at their endpoints with a suitable degree of smoothness.
Reticulating splines is the most complex step in the overall process.
reticulating splines by SC2000 December 22, 2008

masticulating 

Juicing the herring, slinging the sausage, porking the swine
Moose likes to juice his herring in front of Joe. Joe, 31, was like "WTF MAN!? STOP YOUR MASTICULATING!"
More from Urban Dictionary

countrypolitan 

Term used to describe someone who is a mix of both rural (country) and urban (metropolitan) lifestyles/upbringings. He/she is typically equally comfortable in both settings and is able to seamlessly slip back and forth between the two, appreciating the characteristics of each.
That ol' gal of mine drives the 12 lane freeway during the week and a John Deere on the weekends. She likes opra and the Grand Ol' Opry. I love them countrypolitan women.
countrypolitan by MOChick November 7, 2006
Word of the Day on November 1, 2026

Witch Bath 

A bath consisting of a variety of slats, oils, soaps or any other added ingredients such as fruits, milks, herbs or any other spices for health or beautifying benifits.
She brought home alot of stuff and took it to the bathroom. She must be taking a witch bath.
Witch Bath by carnieboy30 October 26, 2020
Word of the Day on October 31, 2026

kinktober 

An excuse for people to write porn with different types of kinks throughout the month of October.

Smut Fanfiction
That chick doesn't write often but when she does, its for Kinktober.
kinktober by Kinkiest July 12, 2018
Word of the Day on October 30, 2026

proper lad 

a lad that is such a lad that he is a proper lad
person1:did you see bob
person2: ya he was a proper lad
Word of the Day on October 29, 2026
The number of years you are still sexually active
While our lifespan is the number of years we will live, our healthspan is the number of healthy years we will have and our sexspan is is the number of years we will continue to be healthy enough to continue having an active sex life.
sexspan by Dr Kat April 21, 2022
Word of the Day on October 28, 2026
A lighthearted reaction upon receiving disappointing news of some sort. Usually something that isn't a particularly a big deal, esp. when it primarily affects someone else - sort of a mild schadenfreude. Sometimes doubled or tripled, and possibly said in a sing-songy voice for added comedic effect to imitate a muted trumpet, which is how the meme originated.
You didn't get any napkins with your takeout pork fried rice? Womp womp.
womp by 175623226 November 3, 2011
Word of the Day on October 27, 2026
Load more