cathetus

C3A1T1H4E1T1U1S1
/ˈkæ.θɪ.təs//kəˈθɪ.təs/

noun

A line perpendicular to a surface (or line); in particular, either of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse.

Similar
leg
OriginLatin cathetus ← Ancient Greek κάθετος →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

nouncathetus (plural catheti or cathetuses)

plural catheti · plural cathetuses

  1. geometryA line perpendicular to a surface (or line); in particular, either of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse.

    Synonyms: leg

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA line perpendicular to a surface (or line); in particular, either of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse.

Similar
leg
Also see
katheteleg

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκάθετος“perpendicular”
  2. Latincathetus
  3. Englishcathetus

From Latin cathetus, from Ancient Greek κάθετος (káthetos, “perpendicular”).

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic ضلع قائم
  • ضلع قائمeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Catalan catet
  • cateteither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Chinese Mandarin 鄰邊 /邻边
  • 鄰邊 /邻边 (línbiān)either of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Czech odvěsna
  • odvěsnaeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Danish katete
  • kateteeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Dutch rechthoekszijde
  • rechthoekszijdeeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Finnish kateetti
  • kateettieither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
French cathète
  • cathèteeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
German Kathete
  • Katheteeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Hebrew נִצָּב
  • נִצָּב (nitzáv)either of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Hungarian befogó
  • befogóeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Icelandic skammhlið
  • skammhliðeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Italian cateto
  • catetoeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Japanese 隣辺
  • 隣辺 (rinpen)either of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Norwegian katet
  • kateteither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Polish przyprostokątna
  • przyprostokątnaeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Portuguese cateto
  • catetoeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Russian ка́тет
  • ка́тет (kátet)either of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Slovak odvesna
  • odvesnaeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Spanish cateto
  • catetoeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Swedish katet
  • kateteither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Thai ด้านประกอบมุมฉาก
  • ด้านประกอบมุมฉาก (dâan-bprà-gɔ̀ɔp-mum-chàak)either of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Vietnamese cạnh góc vuông
  • cạnh góc vuôngeither of the sides of a right triangle other than its hypotenuse
Cite this entry
APA

cathetus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cathetus

MLA

“cathetus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cathetus. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cathetus,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cathetus.

Source: cathetus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.