Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Tangent
Tan′gent
,Noun.
[L. ]
tangens
, -entis
, p. pr. of tangere
to touch; akin to Gr. [GREEK] having seized: cf. F. tangente
. Cf. Attain
, Contaminate
, Contingent
, Entire
, Tact
, Taste
, Tax
, Verb.
T.
(Geom.)
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
. Artificial tangent
, or Logarithmic tangent
the logarithm of the natural tangent of an arc.
– Natural tangent
, a decimal expressing the length of the tangent of an arc, the radius being reckoned unity.
– Tangent galvanometer
(Elec.)
, a form of galvanometer having a circular coil and a short needle, in which the tangent of the angle of deflection of the needle is proportional to the strength of the current.
– Tangent of an angle
, the natural tangent of the arc subtending or measuring the angle.
– Tangent of an arc
, a right line, as ta, touching the arc of a circle at one extremity a, and terminated by a line ct, passing from the center through the other extremity o.
Tan′gent
,Adj.
[L.
tangens
, -entis
, p. pr.] Touching; touching at a single point
; specifically (Geom.)
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.Tangent plane
(Geom.)
, a plane which touches a surface in a point or line.
– Tangent scale
(Gun.)
, a kind of breech sight for a cannon.
– Tangent screw
(Mach.)
, an endless screw; a worm.
Webster 1828 Edition
Tangent
TAN'GENT
,Noun.
In geometry, a right line which touches a curve, but which when produced, does not cut it. In trigonometry, the tangent of an arc, is a right line touching the arc at one extremity, and terminated by a second passing through the other extremity.
Definition 2024
tangent
tangent
English
A straight line tangent to a curve
Tangent function of unit circle
Noun
tangent (plural tangents)
- (geometry) A straight line touching a curve at a single point without crossing it there.
- (trigonometry) 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
- 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.
- 2009: Stuart Heritage, Hecklerspray, Friday the 22nd of May in 2009 at 1 o’clock p.m., “Jon & Kate Latest: People You Don’t Know Do Crap You Don’t Care About”
- Jon & Kate Plus 8 is a show based on two facts: (1) Jon and Kate Gosselin have eight children, and (2) the word ‘Kate’ rhymes with the word ‘eight’. One suspects that if Kate were ever to have another child, a shady network executive would urge her to put it in a binbag with a brick and drop it down a well. But this is just a horrifying tangent.
- A small metal blade by which a clavichord produces sound.
Synonyms
- (straight line): tangent line
Derived terms
- arctangent
- cotangent
- hyberbolic tangent
Related terms
Translations
in geometry
|
|
in trigonometry
|
|
Adjective
tangent (not comparable)
- (geometry) Touching a curve at a single point but not crossing it at that point.
- Of a topic, only loosely related to a main topic.
See also
Danish
Noun
tangent c (singular definite tangenten, plural indefinite tangenter)
- (geometry) tangent
- Differentialregning kan fortolkes som forsøget på at bestemme en tangents hældning.
- Differential calculus may be interpreted as the attempt to determine the slope of a tangent.
- Differentialregning kan fortolkes som forsøget på at bestemme en tangents hældning.
- A piano key
Declension
Inflection of tangent
| common gender |
Singular | Plural | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
| nominative | tangent | tangenten | tangenter | tangenterne |
| genitive | tangents | tangentens | tangenters | tangenternes |
See also
References
- “tangent” in Den Danske Ordbog
French
Adjective
tangent m (feminine singular tangente, masculine plural tangents, feminine plural tangentes)
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology
Noun
tangent m (definite singular tangenten, indefinite plural tangenter, definite plural tangentene)
References
- “tangent” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
Etymology
Noun
tangent m (definite singular tangenten, indefinite plural tangentar, definite plural tangentane)
References
- “tangent” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Swedish
Noun
tangent c
- a key (button on a typewriter, computer keyboard or piano)
- (mathematics) a tangent
Declension
| Inflection of tangent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Plural | |||
| Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
| Nominative | tangent | tangenten | tangenter | tangenterna |
| Genitive | tangents | tangentens | tangenters | tangenternas |