trigonometric function

American  

noun

Mathematics.

1. Also called circular function.  a function of an angle, as sine or cosine, expressed as the ratio of the sides of a right triangle.

2. any function involving only trigonometric functions and constants.

3. the generalization of these to functions of real or complex numbers.

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trigonometric function British  

noun

1. Also called: circular function.  any of a group of functions of an angle expressed as a ratio of two of the sides of a right-angled triangle containing the angle. The group includes sine, cosine, tangent, secant, cosecant, and cotangent

2. any function containing only sines, cosines, etc, and constants

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trigonometric function Scientific  

/ trĭg′ə-nə-mĕt′rĭk /

1. A function of an angle, as the sine, cosine, or tangent, whose value is expressed as a ratio of two of the sides of the right triangle that contains the angle.

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Etymology

Origin of trigonometric function

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

For the following exercises, find the exact value of each trigonometric function.

From Textbooks • Dec. 1, 2021

For the following exercises, find a possible formula for the trigonometric function represented by the given table of values.

From Textbooks • Dec. 1, 2021

However, if we restrict the domain of a trigonometric function to an interval where it is one-to-one, we can define its inverse.

From Textbooks • Mar. 30, 2016

The trigonometric function relating the side opposite to an angle and the side adjacent to the angle is the tangent.

From Textbooks • Feb. 13, 2015

“That last trigonometric function wasn’t as easy as it looked.”

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali