cotangent

[koh-tan-juh nt, koh-tan-] /koʊˈtæn dʒənt, ˈkoʊˌtæn-/
noun, Trigonometry
1.
(in a right triangle) the ratio of the side adjacent to a given angle to the side opposite.
2.
the tangent of the complement, or the reciprocal of the tangent, of a given angle or arc.
Abbreviation: cot, ctn.
Also, cotan
[koh-tan] /ˈkoʊˌtæn/ (Show IPA).
Origin
1625-35; < Neo-Latin cotangent- (stem of cotangēns). See co-, tangent
Related forms
cotangential
[koh-tan-jen-shuh l] /ˌkoʊ tænˈdʒɛn ʃəl/ (Show IPA), adjective
British Dictionary definitions for cotangent

cotangent

/kəʊˈtændʒənt/
noun
1.
(of an angle) a trigonometric function that in a right-angled triangle is the ratio of the length of the adjacent side to that of the opposite side; the reciprocal of tangent Abbreviation cot, cotan, ctn
Derived Forms
cotangential (ˌkəʊtænˈdʒɛnʃəl) adjective
Word Origin and History for cotangent
n.

from co. tangent, abbreviation of complement + tangent.

cotangent in Science
cotangent
  (kō-tān'jənt)   

  1. The ratio of the length of the adjacent side of an acute angle in a right triangle to the length of the opposite side. The cotangent is the inverse of the tangent.

  2. The ratio of the ordinate to the abscissa of the endpoint of an arc of a unit circle centered at the origin of a Cartesian coordinate system, the arc being of length x and measured counterclockwise from the point (1, 0) if x is positive or clockwise if x is negative.

  3. A function of a number x, equal to the cotangent of an angle whose measure in radians is equal to x.