tangent
adjective
1. (geometry) Touching a curve at a single point but not crossing it at that point.
2. Of a topic, only loosely related to a main topic.
noun
1. a straight line or plane that touches a curve or curved surface at a point but does not intersect it at that point
Definition categories: shape
2. ratio of the opposite to the adjacent side of a right-angled triangle
Similar word(s): tan
Definition categories: link
Sentences with tangent as a noun:
- I believe we went off onto a tangent when we started talking about monkeys on unicycles at his retirement party.