curvilinear
Formed by curves
Curvilinear means formed or characterized by curved lines, as opposed to straight ones.
The term appears most often in technical contexts—architecture, geometry, design—describing shapes bounded by curves rather than angles: curvilinear forms in Art Nouveau furniture, the curvilinear motion of a pendulum.
The word emphasizes smoothness and flow.
To travel without direction
- serpentineCurving in repeated bends
- sinuousCurving in flowing turns
- undulateMove in waves
- streamlineRemove unnecessary elements
swirl · spiral · twist · coil · curl · loop · whorl · winding
Bounding line of shape
- silhouetteFilled-in outline shape
- profileSide-facing outline
- outlineSummary of key elements
- formShape or document
figure · shape · swoosh · flourish · scroll · freeform · streamlined · aerodynamic
Curved line segment
- ellipseConic section curve
- parabolaSymmetrical open plane curve
- hyperbolaCurve with two branches
- bezierMathematical curve formula
spline · sine · cosine · tangent · cycloid · catenary · conic · quadratic
Trailing climbing plant
- tendrilCoiling plant appendage
- petalBloom's colorful segment
- leafPlant's photosynthetic organ
- stemPlant's central axis
branch · shell · horn · tusk · wave · dune · riverbed · coastline
meander
To travel without direction
- serpentineCurving in repeated bends
- sinuousCurving in flowing turns
- undulateMove in waves
streamline · swirl · spiral · twist · coil · curl · loop · whorl · winding · helix
contour
Bounding line of shape
- silhouetteFilled-in outline shape
- profileSide-facing outline
- outlineSummary of key elements
form · figure · shape · swoosh · flourish · scroll · freeform · streamlined · aerodynamic · ergonomic
arc
Curved line segment
bezier · spline · sine · cosine · tangent · cycloid · catenary · conic · quadratic · cubic
vine
Trailing climbing plant
stem · branch · shell · horn · tusk · wave · dune · riverbed · coastline · hillside
smooth
Without roughness or difficulty
- polishedSmooth, refined, accomplished
- seamlessWithout visible joins
- continuousWithout pause or gap
unbroken · gradual · tapered · rounded · bulbous · convex · concave · undulating · rippled · wavelike
arch
Curved spanning structure
rotunda · colonnade · balustrade · molding · cornice · finial · tracery · arabesque · rococo · baroque
- design termscolor, font, style, shape, form
- art stylesimpressionism, surrealism, cubism, realism, pop art
- coordinateslatitude, longitude, coordinates, lat, long
- ornamental patternsfiligree, lacework, scrollwork, arabesque, fretwork
- map projectionsMercator, Robinson, cylindrical, conic, azimuthal
curvilinearrectilinear
Bounded by straight lines
straight · linear · straight-line · direct · straightforward
line, curve, curved, curvy, curves, curving, incurved, recurved, recurves