Meanings
plural tangencies · alternative tangence
- countableuncountableThe state of being tangent; an instance of (something) being tangent.
In this section we will apply the concept of connectedness in dimension d to study tangencies of algebraic varieties.
1999, H. Flenner, L. O′Carroll, W. Vogel, Joins and Intersections, page 1312 more examples
To be tangent to a circle or arc, a line must touch the circle or arc at only one point, and a line drawn from the center of the circle or arc must be perpendicular to the tangent line at the point of tangency. (See Figure 6.82.)
2004, David A. Madsen et al., Engineering Drawing & Design, 3rd edition, page 160If the original tangency is at A, then the new tangency cannot be at O or P, as either possibility would require two indifference curves to cross.[…]Instead, the new tangency is at a point like B.
2011, Steven E. Landsburg, Price Theory and Applications, 8th edition, page 83
Synonyms & antonyms
noun(electronics) a junction where things (as two electrical conductors) touch or are in physical contact
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Cite this entry
tangency. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tangency
“tangency.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tangency. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tangency,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tangency.
Source: tangency on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.