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tangent - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'tangent' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Tangent [ a.]
- Touching; touching at a single point
- 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.
2 . Tangent [ v. t.]
- 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.