curvature of a curve

  • 1Center of curvature of a curve — Center Cen ter, n. [F. centre, fr. L. centrum, fr. round which a circle is described, fr. ? to prick, goad.] 1. A point equally distant from the extremities of a line, figure, or body, or from all parts of the circumference of a circle; the… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2Curvature — Cur va*ture (k?r v? t?r; 135), n. [L. curvatura. See {Curvate}.] 1. The act of curving, or the state of being bent or curved; a curving or bending, normal or abnormal, as of a line or surface from a rectilinear direction; a bend; a curve. Cowper …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3Curvature of the spine — Curvature Cur va*ture (k?r v? t?r; 135), n. [L. curvatura. See {Curvate}.] 1. The act of curving, or the state of being bent or curved; a curving or bending, normal or abnormal, as of a line or surface from a rectilinear direction; a bend; a… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 4Curvature — In mathematics, curvature refers to any of a number of loosely related concepts in different areas of geometry. Intuitively, curvature is the amount by which a geometric object deviates from being flat, or straight in the case of a line, but this …

    Wikipedia

  • 5curvature — [kʉr′və chər] n. [ME < L curvatura < curvare: see CURVE] 1. a curving or being curved 2. a curve; curved part of anything 3. Geom. the rate of deviation of a curve or curved surface from a straight line or plane surface tangent to it 4. Med …

    English World dictionary

  • 6Curve — Curve, n. [See {Curve}, a., {Cirb}.] 1. A bending without angles; that which is bent; a flexure; as, a curve in a railway or canal. [1913 Webster] 2. (Geom.) A line described according to some low, and having no finite portion of it a straight… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 7Curve of quickest descent — Curve Curve, n. [See {Curve}, a., {Cirb}.] 1. A bending without angles; that which is bent; a flexure; as, a curve in a railway or canal. [1913 Webster] 2. (Geom.) A line described according to some low, and having no finite portion of it a… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 8Curve tracing — Curve Curve, n. [See {Curve}, a., {Cirb}.] 1. A bending without angles; that which is bent; a flexure; as, a curve in a railway or canal. [1913 Webster] 2. (Geom.) A line described according to some low, and having no finite portion of it a… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 9Curve-billed Thrasher — Conservation status Least Concern ( …

    Wikipedia

  • 10curvature — 1660s, from L. curvatura a bending, from curvatus, pp. of curvare to bend (see CURVE (Cf. curve)). In non Euclidian geometry, from 1873 …

    Etymology dictionary