yield-point

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. In testing the strength of iron, steel, and other ductile materials, the minimum load which produces permanent deformation. Also spoken of, less correctly, as the elastic limit.
2. n. Four features of the results of the tensile stress tests of outstanding interest merit a special comment.
3. n. The point on a stress-strain curve at which the strain begins to increase very greatly for a slight increase of stress.
4. n. See under point.