Adosculation

/ˌædɒskjəˈleɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The touching or kissing of one curve to another at a single point where they share the same tangent line, a mathematical term.

Etymology

From Latin 'ad-' (to) + 'osculari' (to kiss), from 'osculum' (kiss). The -ation suffix makes it a noun describing the action or state.

Kelly Says

This word perfectly captures why mathematics is poetic—'adosculation' literally means 'kissing,' describing the moment when two curved lines meet so perfectly they touch at exactly one point before separating.

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