Latus rectum
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In a conic section, the latus rectum is the chord parallel to the directrix through the focus. In a parabola, the length of the latus rectum is equal to four times the focal length. In an ellipse, it is twice the square of the length of the minor axis divided by the length of the major axis. In a hyperbola, it is twice the square of length of the transverse axis divided by the length of the conjugate axis. In a circle, the latus rectum is always the length of the diameter.
Latus rectum is a compound of the Latin latus, meaning 'side' and rectum, meaning 'straight.'
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