Unicursal

1 definition found

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

  Unicursal \U`ni*cur"sal\, a. [Uni- + L. currere, cursum, to
     run.] (Geom.)
     That can be passed over in a single course; -- said of a
     curve when the coordinates of the point on the curve can be
     expressed as rational algebraic functions of a single
     parameter [theta].


     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: As [theta] varies minus infinity to plus infinity, to
           each value of [theta] there corresponds one, and only
           one, point of the curve, while to each point on the
           curve there corresponds one, and only one, value of
           [theta]. Straight lines, conic sections, curves of the
           third order with a nodal point, curves of the fourth
           order with three double points, etc., are unicursal.
           [1913 Webster]