extremal
An extremum point (i.e. a maximum point or a minimum point) gives a maximum value or a minimum value for a function (http://planetmath.org/RealFunction).
An extremal curve (i.e. an extremal, or the corresponding extremal function) gives a maximum value or a minimum value for a functional (http://planetmath.org/Functional).
For example, if the functional is the length of a curve connecting two points on a sphere, the extremals are great circle arcs between the points.