adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   The point at which two tangent curves touch.
2. 2
   a form of tacinvariant of hypersurfaces that have a point in common
3. 3
   The condition that the solution to a set of simultaneous quantics, is also the solution of the corresponding set of tangential quantics.

Adjective

1. 1
   Kissing; hence, touching or meeting; clinging. not-comparable
2. 2
   Adhering closely; applied to certain creeping animals, such as caterpillars. not-comparable
3. 3
   Intermediate between two genera, groups, families, etc., and having some of the characteristics of each; interosculant. not-comparable

   "The genera by which two families approximate are called osculant genera."

4. 4
   Intermediate between multiple potentially reconstructible protoforms, but having a mismatch in semantics or morphology that cannot be explained through regular patterns of change. not-comparable
5. 5
   Tangent, touching at a single point. not-comparable

Synonyms

All synonyms

tacinvariant

Example

More examples

"The genera by which two families approximate are called osculant genera."

Etymology

From Latin osculans, osculantis, present participle of osculari (“to kiss”). See osculate.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.