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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.

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