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Synonyms

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.


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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

curvilinear Scientific  
/ kûr′və-lĭn′ē-ər /
  1. Formed, bounded, or characterized by curved lines.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of curvilinear

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The curvilinear bop of a good and expertly undulating narrative lede.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026

Over the course of the first gallery lace frees itself from geometric patterns echoing the grid of textiles, and embraces more robust, less predictable, curvilinear patterns inspired by floral and plant forms.

From New York Times ● Dec. 8, 2022

Attempting to define this unique, curvilinear object is a tautological exercise.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2022

The Teners liked the curvilinear shape of the Deltec homes, which the company says helps the structures offset wind pressure by 30%.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 14, 2021

If we compute, for all these different varieties of elements, the place of the planet for 1847, its locus will evidently be a discontinuous curve or curvilinear polygon.

From Astronomical Discovery by Herbert Hall Turner

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