from Widipedia:
The term learning curve refers to the graphical relation between the amount of learning and the time it takes to learn.
The term "steep learning curve" is often wrongly used for things which need some time to wrap ones mind around. Also here on Stack Overflow I've seen it used wrongly many times and hence this Question and my own answer to it.
In fact a steep learning curve is given, when it is relatively easy to start of with a new skill/technique/...
it means that the relationship between "learning progress (y)" and "time invested (x)" is greater than 1.