Search Result for "secant": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (2)

1. a straight line that intersects a curve at two or more points;

2. ratio of the hypotenuse to the adjacent side of a right-angled triangle;
[syn: secant, sec]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Secant \Se"cant\ (s[=e]"k[a^]nt), a. [L. secans, -antis, p. pr. of secare to cut. See Section.] Cutting; dividing into two parts; as, a secant line. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Secant \Secant\, n. [Cf. F. s['e]cante. See Secant, a.] 1. (Geom.) A line that cuts another; especially, a straight line cutting a curve in two or more points. [1913 Webster] 2. (Trig.) A right line drawn from the center of a circle through one end of a circular arc, and terminated by a tangent drawn from the other end; the number expressing the ratio of this line to the radius of the circle. See Trigonometrical function, under Function. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

secant n 1: a straight line that intersects a curve at two or more points 2: ratio of the hypotenuse to the adjacent side of a right- angled triangle [syn: secant, sec]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

40 Moby Thesaurus words for "secant": air line, axis, beeline, chiasmal, chiasmic, chiastic, chord, crisscross, cross, crosscut, crossed, crossing, cut across, decussate, decussated, diagonal, diameter, direct line, directrix, edge, great-circle course, intersected, intersecting, normal, perpendicular, radius, radius vector, right line, segment, shortcut, side, straight, straight course, straight line, straight stretch, straightaway, streamline, tangent, transversal, vector