Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of 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 curve. --Cowper. The elegant curvature of their fronds. --Darwin. 2. (Math.) The amount of degree of bending of a mathematical curve, or the tendency at any point to depart from a tangent drawn to the curve at that point. {Aberrancy of curvature} (Geom.), the deviation of a curve from a circular form. {Absolute curvature}. See under {Absolute}. {Angle of curvature} (Geom.), one that expresses the amount of curvature of a curve. {Chord of curvature}. See under {Chord}. {Circle of curvature}. See {Osculating circle of a curve}, under {Circle}. {Curvature of the spine} (Med.), an abnormal curving of the spine, especially in a lateral direction. {Radius of curvature}, the radius of the circle of curvature, or osculatory circle, at any point of a curve.