osculate
to come into close contact or union.
Geometry. (of a curve) to touch another curve or another part of the same curve so as to have the same tangent and curvature at the point of contact.
to bring into close contact or union.
Geometry. (of a curve) to touch (another curve or another part of the same curve) in osculation or close contact.
to kiss.
Origin of osculate
1Other words from osculate
- os·cu·la·to·ry [os-kyuh-luh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], /ˈɒs kyə ləˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/, adjective
- un·os·cu·lat·ed, adjective
Words that may be confused with osculate
- oscillate, osculate
Words Nearby osculate
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use osculate in a sentence
The circle is then said to “osculate” the curve, or to have “contact of the second order” with it at P.
British Dictionary definitions for osculate
/ (ˈɒskjʊˌleɪt) /
usually jocular to kiss
(intr) (of an organism or group of organisms) to be intermediate between two taxonomic groups
geometry to touch in osculation
Origin of osculate
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Browse