In mathematics, particularly in differential geometry, an osculating plane is a plane in a Euclidean space or affine space which meets a submanifold at a point in such a way as to have a second order of contact at the point. The word osculate is from the Latin osculatus which is a past participle of osculari, meaning to kiss. An osculating plane is thus a plane which "kisses" a submanifold.
The osculating plane in the geometry of Euclidean space curves can be described in terms of the Frenet-Serret formulas as the linear span of the tangent and normal vectors. See also Differential geometry of curves#Special Frenet vectors and generalized curvatures.
Famous quotes containing the word plane:
“with the plane nowhere and her body taking by the throat
The undying cry of the void falling living beginning to be something
That no one has ever been and lived through screaming without enough air”
—James Dickey (b. 1923)