secant

se·cant

(sē′kănt′, -kənt)

n. Abbr. sec

a. A straight line intersecting a curve at two or more points.

b. The straight line drawn from the center through one end of a circular arc and intersecting the tangent to the other end of the arc.

c. The ratio of the length of this line to the length of the radius of the circle.

2. The reciprocal of the cosine of an angle in a right triangle.

[From Latin secāns, secant-, present participle of secāre, to cut; see sek- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

secant

(ˈsiːkənt)

1. (Mathematics) (of an angle) a trigonometric function that in a right-angled triangle is the ratio of the length of the hypotenuse to that of the adjacent side; the reciprocal of cosine. Abbreviation: sec

2. (Mathematics) a line that intersects a curve

[C16: from Latin secāre to cut]

ˈsecantly adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

se•cant

(ˈsi kænt, -kənt)

n.

1. an intersecting line, esp. one intersecting a curve at two or more points.

2. (in a right triangle) the ratio of the hypotenuse to the side adjacent to a given angle; the reciprocal of its cosine. Abbr.: sec

[1585–95; < Latin secant-, s. of secāns, present participle of secāre to cut; see -ant]

se′cant•ly, adv.

se·cant

(sē′kănt′)

1. A straight line or ray that intersects a curve, especially a circle, at two or more points.

2. The ratio of the length of the hypotenuse in a right triangle to the side adjacent to an acute angle; the inverse of the cosine.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	secant - a straight line that intersects a curve at two or more points straight line - a line traced by a point traveling in a constant direction; a line of zero curvature; "the shortest distance between two points is a straight line"
	2.	secant - ratio of the hypotenuse to the adjacent side of a right-angled triangle sec circular function, trigonometric function - function of an angle expressed as a ratio of the length of the sides of right-angled triangle containing the angle

Translations

sečnasekans

εφαπτομένη

secante

leikkaajasekantti

secante

секанс

secant

[ˈsiːkənt] N → secante f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

secant

→ Sekans m

(= line) → Sekante f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

secant

[ˈsiːk/ənt] n → secante f

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

He felt the necessity of gaining a firmer footing, and turned towards the road by the shortest secant line.

View in context

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