osculating circle

noun

The circle that has the same tangent, and the same curvature at the point on the curve.

Similar
circle of curvature
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Meanings

nounosculating circle (plural osculating circles)

plural osculating circles

  1. geometryThe circle that has the same tangent, and the same curvature at the point on the curve.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe circle that touches a curve (on the concave side) and whose radius is the radius of curvature

Similar
circle of curvature
Broader
circle

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

French cercle osculateur
  • cercle osculateurnotion in mathematics
German Schmiegkreis, Krümmungskreis
  • Schmiegkreisnotion in mathematics
  • Krümmungskreisnotion in mathematics
Polish okrąg ściśle styczny
  • okrąg ściśle stycznynotion in mathematics
Cite this entry
APA

osculating circle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/osculating%20circle

MLA

“osculating circle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/osculating%20circle. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “osculating circle,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/osculating%20circle.

Source: osculating circle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.