tangent
/ˈtændʒənt/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈændʒənt] /ˈtændʒənt/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈændʒənt] /ˈtan-jənt How to pronounce tangent (audio)/ (ame, mw)
tangent — noun
- tangentsingular
- tangentsplural
1. a line that meets a curve at just one point and does not pass across it there.
a line that meets a curve at just one point and does not pass across it there.
The teacher drew a tangent to the circle beside point B.
tangent to a circle
On Mira's graph, the tangent touched the curve only once.
The exam asked students to find the tangent at x equals two.
During class, Tendai extended the tangent beyond the edge of the page.
- secant
in geometry, a secant cuts through the curve instead of only touching it
用法筆記
Usually names a line in geometry and often appears with to plus the curve or circle it touches.
常見錯誤
2. the number you get in a right triangle when you divide the side across from an a
the number you get in a right triangle when you divide the side across from an angle by the nearby side.
In homework, Lan found the tangent of thirty degrees first.
tangent of an angle
The calculator showed the tangent after Obi entered the angle.
Our tutor used tangent to compare the triangle's height and base.
Ritu checked the tangent before solving the roof-measure problem.
用法筆記
Used in trigonometry, usually with of plus an angle or when discussing right triangles.
常見錯誤
3. a sudden move away from the main topic into a different one.
a sudden move away from the main topic into a different one.
During lunch, Emma went off on a tangent about old game shows.
go off on a tangent
The host's tangent about airport food delayed the interview.
Christopher's tangent about bicycle repairs confused the new staff members.
One question sent the class on a tangent about school uniforms.
- digression
more formal and common in essays, lectures, and writing
- aside
often shorter and lighter, especially in speech
- detour
broader and also used for physical route changes
用法筆記
Most often appears in informal speech in the phrase go off on a tangent. It usually suggests someone has drifted too far from the main point.
常見錯誤
tangent — adjective
- tangentpositive
- more tangentcomparative
- most tangentsuperlative
1. touching a curve or a surface at only one point rather than crossing it there.
touching a curve or a surface at only one point rather than crossing it there.
At point C, the blue line is tangent to the circle.
be tangent to a circle
The engineer checked whether the road was tangent to the curved wall.
On the sketch, the line is tangent to the bowl near the top.
Wren placed the ruler tangent to the round plate in the drawing.
- secant
describes a line that cuts through the curve instead of only touching it
用法筆記
Common in geometry, design, and engineering. It is usually followed by to plus the curve or surface being touched.
常見錯誤
2. touching at one point in a way that gives both shapes the same tangent there.
touching at one point in a way that gives both shapes the same tangent there.
At the middle point, the two curves are tangent to each other.
two curves are tangent to each other
The teacher showed that the two shapes are tangent at point A.
In Lucía's sketch, the circles looked tangent near the join.
The guide explains when two graphs are tangent but not the same.
用法筆記
Used when comparing two curves or surfaces that share the same direction at a point, rather than a single line touching one shape.
常見錯誤
3. drifting away from the main purpose so that it is not really relevant.
drifting away from the main purpose so that it is not really relevant.
The budget slide felt tangent to the parents' safety concerns.
tangent to the main issue
Mert's long story about camping was tangent to our meeting.
The last paragraph is interesting but tangent to the article's argument.
The teacher skipped comments that seemed tangent to the lesson.
- irrelevant
stronger and more general; often means not connected at all
- off-topic
more conversational and common in meetings or online discussions
- peripheral
suggests something sits at the edge rather than at the center
- relevant
directly connected to the point being discussed
用法筆記
Often follows to when saying an idea is only loosely connected to the main issue. It can sound formal or academic.