/kerr"veuh cheuhr, -choor'/ , n.
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. Geom.
a. (at a point on a curve) the derivative of the inclination of the tangent with respect to arc length.
b. the absolute value of this derivative.
5. something curved.
[ 1375-1425; late ME curvatura, equiv. to curvat ( us ) ptp. of curvare to bend, CURVE + -ura -URE. See -ATE 1 ]