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.
Hear it pronounced