curve

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /kɚv/ UK /kɜːv/ See IPA manual

Freq #8406

Meanings

1

noun
A smooth bend in a line, road, or surface, without sharp angles.

You should slow down when you approach a curve in the road.
2

verb
To bend in a smooth, rounded shape.

The road curves to the left after the bridge.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a smooth bend in a line,... bend

2 verb · to bend in a smooth,... bend arch arc

Word family

Forms curvescurvingincurving

Derived forms aerocurvecountercurvecurvaceouscurveballcurvelesscurveletcurvesomecurvilinearcurvimetercurvyeigencurveepicurve

Etymology

Attested since the 1690s, from Latin curvus (“bent, curved”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to bend, curve, turn”) + *-wós. Doublet of curb, shrink, carcer, and cancer.

*(s)ker- (turn) Proto-Indo-European curvus Latin *(s)ker- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

External links

# curve

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /kɚv/
**IPA (UK):** /kɜːv/
**Frequency rank:** 8406

## Meanings
1. A smooth bend in a line, road, or surface, without sharp angles.
2. To bend in a smooth, rounded shape.

## Examples
- You should slow down when you approach a curve in the road.
- The road curves to the left after the bridge.

## Derived Forms
- aerocurve
- countercurve
- curvaceous
- curveball
- curveless
- curvelet
- curvesome
- curvilinear
- curvimeter
- curvy
- eigencurve
- epicurve

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *(s)ker- (turn)
- Root: curvus
- Root: *(s)ker-

## Etymology
Attested since the 1690s, from Latin curvus (“bent, curved”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to bend, curve, turn”) + *-wós. Doublet of curb, shrink, carcer, and cancer.

## AI Etymology
curve is attested since the 1690s, from Latin curvus (“bent, curved”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to bend, curve, turn”) + *-wós. Doublet of curb, shrink, carcer, and cancer. The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (turn), Latin curvus, Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-. Current senses include A smooth bend in a line, road, or surface, without sharp angles and to bend in a smooth, rounded shape. English relatives and later formations include aerocurve, countercurve, curvaceous.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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curve

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