secant

noun, adj — 3 senses

secant

noun

/ˈsiːkənt/

Etymology From Latin secāns, present participle of secō (“to cut”).

1

Geometry, Mathematics, Sciences A straight line that intersects a curve at two or more points.

2

Mathematics, Sciences, Trigonometry In a right triangle, the reciprocal of the cosine of an angle. Symbol: sec

Derived terms: arcsecant, bisecant, hyperbolic secant, quadrisecant, secant method
Related terms: cosecant, section, sector

secant

adj

Etymology From Latin secāns, present participle of secō (“to cut”).

1

That cuts or divides.

Derived terms: secancy, secantly

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.