tangente
tangent
noun tahn-HEN-teh Rare
Origin: From Latin tangens, touching.
Usage Note
Tangente is used both in mathematics (the trigonometric function or a tangent line) and colloquially in the phrase irse por la tangente, meaning to dodge the point or go off on a tangent — a very common expression in Spanish. Gender is feminine: la tangente.
Examples
"El profesor se fue por la tangente."
Natural Translation
The teacher went off on a tangent.
Related Words
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