[hy.pot.e.nuse] also hy.poth.e.nuse n [L hypotenusa, fr. Gk hypoteinousa, fr. fem. of hypoteinon, prp. of hypoteinein to subtend, fr. hypo- + teinein to stretch--more at thin] (1594) 1: the side of a right-angled triangle that is opposite the right angle
2: the length of a hyspotenuse