curvature

American  

[kur-vuh-cher, -choor] / ˈkɜr və tʃər, -ˌtʃʊər /

noun

1. the act of curving or the state of being curved.

2. a curved condition, often abnormal.

   curvature of the spine.

3. the degree of curving of a line or surface.

4. Geometry.

   1. (at a point on a curve) the derivative of the inclination of the tangent with respect to arc length.

   2. the absolute value of this derivative.

5. something curved.

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curvature British  

/ ˈkɜːvətʃə /

noun

1. something curved or a curved part of a thing

2. any normal or abnormal curving of a bodily part

   curvature of the spine

3. geometry the change in inclination of a tangent to a curve over unit length of arc. For a circle or sphere it is the reciprocal of the radius See also radius of curvature centre of curvature

4. the act of curving or the state or degree of being curved or bent

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Etymology

Origin of curvature

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin curvātūra, equivalent to curvāt ( us ) past participle of curvāre to bend, curve + -ūra -ure. See -ate ¹

Example Sentences

If this happens, spacetime curvature is no longer perfectly defined at every point.

From Science Daily • Mar. 9, 2026

The website for the bridge project says the bridge tower shape “reflects the curvature of a hockey stick in a slap shot.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

"We can change the biochemical composition, the thickness of the membrane, the tension and curvature, the size -- all kinds of parameters that we know have an influence on the embedded protein," Walz says.

From Science Daily • Dec. 18, 2025

These lenses contained a fluid-filled membrane, which when compressed in response to dial adjustments would alter its curvature.

From BBC • Jul. 10, 2025

All the matter in the star will be compressed into a region of zero volume, so the density of matter and the curvature of space-time become infinite.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking