nLab
curve

In differential geometry

For $X$ a smooth manifold, a (parametrized oriented) smooth curve in $X$ is a smooth function $\gamma :ℝ\to X$ from the real line (or an interval therein) to $X$. (Compare path.)

For most purposes in differential geometry one needs to work with a regular curve, which is a parametrized smooth curve whose velocity, i.e. the derivative with respect to the parameter, is never zero. For example, this is important if one wants to split curve into segments which have no self-intersections, which is important.

In the foundations of differential topology, it is possible to define a tangent vector as an equivalence class of smooth curves at a given point in the image of the curve, effectively identifying a curve with its derivative at (say) $0$.

See also the fundamental theorem of differential geometry of curves?.

In algebraic geometry

In algebraic geometry, an algebraic curve is a $1$-dimensional algebraic variety over a field.

An example: elliptic curve.

Related concepts

Examples of sequences of infinitesimal and local structures

first order infinitesimal	$\subset$	formal = arbitrary order infinitesimal	$\subset$	local = stalkwise	$\subset$	finite
	$\leftarrow$ differentiation		integration $\to$
derivative		Taylor series		germ		smooth function
tangent vector		jet		germ of curve		curve
Lie algebra		formal group		local Lie group		Lie group
Poisson manifold		formal deformation quantization		local strict deformation quantization		strict deformation quantization