Special affine curvature, also known as the equi-affine curvature or affine curvature, is a particular type of curvature that is defined on a plane curve that remains unchanged under a special affine transformation (an affine transformation that preserves area). The curves of constant equi-affine curvature k are precisely all non-singular plane conics. Those with k > 0 are ellipses, those with k = 0 are parabolas, and those with k < 0 are hyperbolas. The usual Euclidean curvature of a curve at a point is the curvature of its osculating circle, the unique circle making second order contact with the curve at the point. In the same way, the special affine curvature of a curve at a point P is the special affine curvature of its hyperosculating conic, which is the unique conic making fourth order contact with the curve at P.

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