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Definitions for tangentˈtæn dʒənt

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Random House Webster's College Dictionary

tan•gentˈtæn dʒənt(n.)

  1. a line or plane that touches but does not intersect a curve or surface at a point so that it is closer to the curve or surface in the vicinity of the point than any other line or plane drawn through the point.

    Category: Math

  2. a fundamental trigonometric function that, in a right triangle, is expressed as the ratio of the side opposite an acute angle to the side adjacent to that angle.

    Category: Math

    Ref: Also called tan 1 2 .

  3. (adj.)in immediate physical contact; touching; abutting.

  4. touching at a single point, as a tangent in relation to a curve or surface. in contact along a single line or element, as a plane with a cylinder.

    Category: Math

  5. Category: Common Vocabulary

    Ref: tangential (def. 3). 3

Idioms for tangent:

  1. off on or at a tangent,digressing suddenly from one course of action or thought and turning to another.

    Category: Idiom

Origin of tangent:

1585–90; < L tangent-, s. of tangēns, in phrase līnea tangēns touching line; see -ent

tan′gen•cy-dʒən si(n.)

Princeton's WordNet

  1. tangent(noun)

    a straight line or plane that touches a curve or curved surface at a point but does not intersect it at that point

  2. tangent, tan(noun)

    ratio of the opposite to the adjacent side of a right-angled triangle

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

  1. tangent(noun)ˈtæn dʒənt

    a straight line that meets a curved line without going through it

  2. tangentˈtæn dʒənt

    to start talking about sth that is not connected with the main topic

    Sorry, I went off on a tangent.

Wiktionary

  1. tangent(Noun)

    A straight line touching a curve at a single point without crossing it there.

    I believe we went off onto a tangent when we started talking about monkeys on unicycles at his retirement party.

  2. tangent(Noun)

    A topic nearly unrelated to the main topic, but having a point in common with it.

    I believe we went off onto a tangent when we started talking about monkeys on unicycles at his retirement party.

  3. tangent(Noun)

    A small metal blade by which a clavichord produces sound.

  4. tangent(Noun)

    In a right triangle, the ratio of the length of the side opposite the angle to the length of the side adjacent to the angle. Symbols: tan, tg

  5. tangent(Adjective)

    Touching a curve at a single point but not crossing it at that point.

  6. tangent(Adjective)

    Of a topic, only loosely related to a main topic.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Tangent(verb)

    a tangent line curve, or surface; specifically, that portion of the straight line tangent to a curve that is between the point of tangency and a given line, the given line being, for example, the axis of abscissas, or a radius of a circle produced. See Trigonometrical function, under Function

  2. Tangent(adj)

    touching; touching at a single point

  3. Tangent(adj)

    meeting a curve or surface at a point and having at that point the same direction as the curve or surface; -- said of a straight line, curve, or surface; as, a line tangent to a curve; a curve tangent to a surface; tangent surfaces

Translations for tangent

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

tangent(noun)

a line that touches a curve but does not cut it.

Get even more translations for tangent »

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