Nearby Entries

hypotenuse

- 7 dictionary results

hy⋅pot⋅e⋅nuse

[hahy-pot-n-oos, -yoos]

Use hypotenuse in a Sentence

–noun Geometry.

the side of a right triangle opposite the right angle.

Also, hypothenuse.

Origin:
1565–75; earlier hypotenusa < L hypotēnūsa < Gk hypoteínousa (grámmē) subtending (line) (fem. prp. of hypoteínein to subtend), equiv. to hypo- hypo- + tein- stretch (see thin ) + -ousa fem. prp. suffix

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source

Link To hypotenuse

hy·pot·e·nuse (hī-pŏt'n-ōōs', -yōōs')

(click for larger image in new window)
n. Abbr. hyp.
The side of a right triangle opposite the right angle.

[Latin hypotēnūsa, from Greek hupoteinousa, from feminine present participle of hupoteinein, to stretch or extend under : hupo-, hypo- + teinein, to stretch; see ten- in Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Hypotenuse

Hy*pot"e*nuse\, Hypothenuse \Hy*poth"e*nuse\, n. [L. hypotenusa, Gr. ?, prob., subtending (sc. ?), fr. ? to stretch under, subtend; ? under + ? to stretch. See Subtend.] (Geom.) The side of a right-angled triangle that is opposite to the right angle.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source

hypotenuse [(heye-pot-n-oohs, heye-pot-n-yoohs)]

In a right triangle (a triangle that has one right angle), the side opposite the right angle. (See Pythagorean theorem.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

hypotenuse

1571, from L.L. hypotenusa, from Gk. hypoteinousa "stretching under" (the right angle), fem. prp. of hypoteinein, from hypo- "under" + teinein "to stretch" (see tenet).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source

hypotenuse (hī-pŏt'n-

s') Pronunciation Key
The side of a right triangle opposite the right angle. It is the longest side, and the square of its length is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.

hypotenuse mathematics
The side of a right-angled triangle opposite the right angle.
(2004-02-15)

Search another word or see hypotenuse on Thesaurus | Reference

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Advertise with Us · Link to Us · NASCAR® · Contact Us