- tangent
- tangent [tan′jənt]adj.[L tangens, prp. of tangere, to touch: see TACT]1. that touches; touching2. Geom. touching and not intersecting a curve or curved surface at one and only one point: said of a line or planen.[< ModL ( linea) tangens, tangent (line)]1. Geom.a) a tangent line, curve, or surfaceb) the length of a straight line tangent to a curve, measured from the point of tangency to the intersection of the tangent line with the x-axis2. Trigonometry the reciprocal of the cotangent; specif.,a) the ratio of the opposite side of a given acute angle in a right triangle to the adjacent side: see SINE1b) an equivalent, positive or negative ratio for certain related angles (Ex.: the tangent of 57° or 237° is 1.5399, of 123° or 303° is -1.5399) or real numbers representing radians (Ex.: the tangent of .9948 radians (57°) is 1.5399)SYN.- ADJACENT——————go off at (or on) a tangent or fly off at (or on) a tangentto break off suddenly from a line of action or train of thought and pursue another coursetangencyn.
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.