Botany. 1  a tuft of silky hairs at the end of a seed. 2  the leafy crown of a tree; cluster of leaves at the end of a stem. 3  a terminal cluster of bracts, as in the pineapple.
The flexible pads are called base-isolators, whereas the structures protected by means of these devices are called base-isolated buildings. The main feature of the base isolation technology is that it introduces flexibility in the structure.
Spherical sliding isolation systems are another type of base isolation. The building is supported by bearing pads that have a curved surface and low friction. During an earthquake the building is free to slide on the bearings.