cotangent

C3O1T1A1N1G2E1N1T1
US/ˈkoʊˌtænd͡ʒənt/

noun

In a right triangle, the reciprocal of the tangent of an angle. Symbols: cot, ctg, or ctn

Similar
cotan
OriginEnglish tangent ← Latin tangentem ← Proto-Italic *tangō →
UncommonScrabble 12
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Meanings

nouncotangent (plural cotangents)

plural cotangents

  1. mathematicsIn a right triangle, the reciprocal of the tangent of an angle. Symbols: cot, ctg, or ctn

Synonyms & antonyms

nounratio of the adjacent to the opposite side of a right-angled triangle

Similar
cotan
Broader
trigonometric functioncircular function

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Latincon-
  6. Latinco-
  7. Englishco-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*teh₂g-
  9. Proto-Italic*tangō
  10. Latintangō
  11. Latintangēns
  12. Latintangentem
  13. Englishtangent
  14. Englishcotangent

From co- + tangent.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans kotangens, kotangense
  • kotangenstrigonometric function
  • kotangensetrigonometric function
Arabic ظِلّ اَلتَّمَام
  • ظِلّ اَلتَّمَام (ẓill at-tamām)trigonometric function
Catalan cotangent
  • cotangenttrigonometric function
Chinese Mandarin 餘切 /余切
  • 餘切 /余切 (yúqiē)trigonometric function
Czech kotangens
  • kotangenstrigonometric function
Finnish kotangentti
  • kotangenttitrigonometric function
French cotangente
  • cotangentetrigonometric function
German Kotangens
  • Kotangenstrigonometric function
Greek συνεφαπτομένη
  • συνεφαπτομένη (synefaptoméni)trigonometric function
Hebrew קוטנגנס
  • קוטנגנס (kotangens)trigonometric function
Hungarian kotangens
  • kotangenstrigonometric function
Italian cotangente
  • cotangentetrigonometric function
Japanese 余接, コタンジェント
  • 余接 (yosetsu)trigonometric function
  • コタンジェント (kotanjento)trigonometric function
Norwegian cotangens
  • cotangenstrigonometric function
Polish cotangens, kotangens
  • cotangenstrigonometric function
  • kotangenstrigonometric function
Portuguese co-tangente
  • co-tangentetrigonometric function
Romanian cotangentă
  • cotangentătrigonometric function
Russian кота́нгенс
  • кота́нгенс (kotángens)trigonometric function
Spanish cotangente
  • cotangentetrigonometric function
Swedish cotangent
  • cotangenttrigonometric function
Tagalog katanway
  • katanwaytrigonometric function
Thai โคแทนเจนต์
  • โคแทนเจนต์trigonometric function
Turkish kotanjant
  • kotanjanttrigonometric function
Vietnamese côtang
  • côtangtrigonometric function
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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