Curvature

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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.


        [1913 Webster]
  
              The elegant curvature of their fronds. --Darwin.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {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.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  curvature
       n 1: (medicine) a curving or bending; often abnormal; "curvature
            of the spine"
       2: the rate of change (at a point) of the angle between a curve
          and a tangent to the curve
       3: the property possessed by the curving of a line or surface
          [syn: {curve}]