subtend

[ suhb-tend, suhb- ]
See synonyms for subtend on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object)
  1. Geometry. to extend under or be opposite to: a chord subtending an arc.

  2. Botany. (of a leaf, bract, etc.) to occur beneath or close to.

  1. to form or mark the outline or boundary of.

Origin of subtend

1
1560–70; <Latin subtendere to stretch beneath, equivalent to sub-sub- + tendere to stretch; see tend1

Words Nearby subtend

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How to use subtend in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for subtend

subtend

/ (səbˈtɛnd) /


verb(tr)
  1. geometry to be opposite to and delimit (an angle or side)

  2. (of a bract, stem, etc) to have (a bud or similar part) growing in its axil

  1. to mark off

  2. to underlie; be inherent in

Origin of subtend

1
C16: from Latin subtendere to extend beneath, from sub- + tendere to stretch out

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012