Tangent Meaning
/ˈtæn.d͡ʒənt/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA straight line touching a curve at a single point without crossing it there.
nounA function of an angle that gives the ratio of the sine to the cosine, in either the real or complex numbers. Symbols: tan, tg.
Sentence Examples
"Eh? Is the tangent cosine divided by sine?" "Other way round!"
Tom went off on a tangent.
The line s is tangent to the circumference described.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
A line that touches a circle at exactly one point is called a ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
During the boring lecture, the professor suddenly went off on a ____ and started talking about his recent trip to Paris today.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *teh₂g- Proto-Italic *tangō Latin tangō Latin tangēns Latin tangentembor. English tangent Borrowed from Latin tangentem, the accusative of tangēns (“touching”) (in the phrase līnea tangēns (“a touching line”)), the present participle of the verb tangō (“touch”, verb), from Proto-Italic *tangō, from Proto-Indo-European *teh₂g- (“to touch”). Cognate with Old English þaccian (“to touch lightly, pat, stroke”). More at thack, thwack.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"One feature of the body, which is constructed of pressed-steel members, is the contour of the sides. They are in the form of a continuous radius from the bottom side to the cant rail, and to enable flat glass windows to be fitted the side panels are pressed around the window opening, forming a tangent to the curved bodyside."
— 1951 May, “British Railways Standard Coaches”, in Railway Magazine, page 327:
"“Uncle Barnaby was always father and mother to me,” Benson broke in; then after a pause his mind flew off at a tangent. “Is old Hannah all right—in the will, I mean?”"
— 1928, Lawrence R. Bourne, chapter 1, in Well Tackled!:
"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."
— 2009 May 22, Stuart Heritage, “Jon & Kate Latest: People You Don’t Know Do Crap You Don’t Care About”, in Hecklerspray, archived from the original on 15 Apr 2024:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
A line that touches a circle at exactly one point is called a ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
During the boring lecture, the professor suddenly went off on a ____ and started talking about his recent trip to Paris today.