noun
curve
kurv
noun
1
A smoothly bending line, with no sharp corners.
"The road follows a wide curve along the coast."
"She sketched a gentle curve to represent the growth rate."
2
A system of grading students relative to how the whole class performed, rather than against a fixed standard.
"The professor graded the exam on a curve."
verb
1
To bend gradually rather than at a sharp angle.
"The path curves to the left just past the bridge."
How to Use Curve
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA bend in a line or path, or (in school) a grading method based on the class average.
Common pairings
sharp curve
learning curve
graded on a curve
Word Forms
curved past tense, curves plural, curves singular
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The road follows a wide _____ along the coast.
Etymology
From Latin curvus, "bent," tracing back to a very old root meaning "to bend or turn" that also gave English "curb" and "cancer" (via the curled shape of a crab).