osculatory circle

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Osculatory \Os"cu*la*to*ry\, a.
   1. Of or pertaining to kissing; kissing. "The osculatory
      ceremony." --Thackeray.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Geom.) Pertaining to, or having the properties of, an
      osculatrix; capable of osculation; as, a circle may be
      osculatory with a curve, at a given point.
      [1913 Webster]

   {Osculatory circle}. (Geom.) See {Osculating circle of a
      curve}, under {Circle}.

   {Osculatory plane} (to a curve of double curvature), a plane
      which passes through three successive points of the curve.
      

   {Osculatory sphere} (to a line of double curvature), a sphere
      passing through four consecutive points of the curve.
      [1913 Webster]
    

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