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Noun: secant  see-kunt or 'see,kant
  1. A straight line that intersects a curve at two or more points
    "The secant crossed the circle at two distinct points"
     
  2. Ratio of the hypotenuse to the adjacent side of a right-angled triangle
    "The secant function is the reciprocal of the cosine";
    - sec

Derived forms: secants

Type of: circular function, straight line, trigonometric function

Encyclopedia: Secant