n.
Pronunciation: ' tan-j ə nt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin tangent-, tangens, present participle of tangere to touch; perhaps akin to Old English thaccian to touch gently, stroke
Date: 1594
1 a : meeting a curve or surface in a single point if a sufficiently small interval is considered <straight line tangent to a curve> b (1) : having a common tangent line at a point < tangent curves> (2) : having a common tangent plane at a point < tangent surfaces>
2 : diverging from an original purpose or course : IRRELEVANT < tangent remarks>