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haversine

American  
[hav-er-sahyn] / ˈhæv ərˌsaɪn /

noun

Trigonometry.
  1. one half the versed sine of a given angle or arc.


haversine British  
/ ˈhævəˌsaɪn /

noun

  1. obsolete half the value of the versed sine

"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

Etymology

Origin of haversine

First recorded in 1870–75; ha(lf) + ver(sed) + sine ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Another advantage to the versine and haversine is that they can keep you from having to square something.

From Scientific American • Sep. 16, 2013

Now that computers are so powerful, the haversine has gone the way of the floppy disc.

From Scientific American • Sep. 16, 2013

But the haversine may have been more important in more recent history, when it was used in navigation.

From Scientific American • Sep. 16, 2013

The haversine formula is a very accurate way of computing distances between two points on the surface of a sphere using the latitude and longitude of the two points.

From Scientific American • Sep. 16, 2013

With the log haversine S enter table 45 in the adjacent parallel column, take out the corresponding Natural Haversine, which mark NS.

From Lectures in Navigation by Draper, Ernest Gallaudet