curvilinear

American  

[kur-vuh-lin-ee-er] / ˌkɜr vəˈlɪn i ər /

Or curvilineal

adjective

1. consisting of or bounded by curved lines.

   a curvilinear figure.

2. forming or moving in a curved line.

3. formed or characterized by curved lines.

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curvilinear British  

/ ˌkɜːvɪˈlɪnɪə /

adjective

1. consisting of, bounded by, or characterized by a curved line

2. along a curved line

   curvilinear motion

3. maths (of a set of coordinates) determined by or determining a system of three orthogonal surfaces

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curvilinear Scientific  

/ kûr′və-lĭn′ē-ər /

1. Formed, bounded, or characterized by curved lines.

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Other Word Forms

• curvilinearity
  noun
• curvilinearly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of curvilinear

1700–10; < Latin curv ( us ) curve + -i- + linear

Example Sentences

By design, it doesn’t tower over its neighboring vinyl-sided houses but, with its curvilinear roof, it does seem to want to envelop them.

From New York Times • Aug. 3, 2023

Brows furrowed, he drags the mouse across the bright screen to layer a curvilinear drawing of a blossom atop another and hits a button.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2022

Its curvilinear form unfurls like a wood shaving.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 25, 2021

“There’s really been no study to date that put everything together and examined this curvilinear relationship.”

From Washington Post • Sep. 21, 2021

The minor contours, out of which the larger outlines are composed, are indeed beautifully curvilinear; but they are never monotonous in their curves.

From Modern Painters Volume I (of V) by Ruskin, John