An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A measure of the amount by which a curve, a surface, or any other manifold deviates from a straight line, a plane, or a hyperplane. In particular,
The reciprocal of the radius of the circle which most nearly approximates a
curve at a given point.

See also:
→ curvature constant, → curvature of space-time, → field curvature, → primordial curvature perturbation.

Etymology (EN): From L. curvatura, from curvatus, p.p. of curvare “to bend,” from curvus “curved,” → curve.

Etymology (PE): Xamidegi, from xamidé “curved,” from xamidag “curved”

• noun suffix -i.