versed sine

American  

noun

Trigonometry.

1. one minus the cosine of a given angle or arc. vers.

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versed sine British  

noun

1.  vers.  a trigonometric function equal to one minus the cosine of the specified angle

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Etymology

Origin of versed sine

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

The measure of this deflection; the versed sine of the angle. 4th.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 531, March 6, 1886 by Various

This angle is so small that the departure from the law that the deflection is equal to the versed sine of the angle is too slight to appear in our computation.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 531, March 6, 1886 by Various

C E is the sine, O E is the cosine, and E A is the versed sine of the angle A O C. Respecting these three lines there are many things to be observed.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 531, March 6, 1886 by Various

If, finally, I make O C to coincide with O A, the angle is obliterated, the sine and the versed sine have both disappeared, and the cosine has become the radius.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 531, March 6, 1886 by Various

Measuring the deflection in question—which is equivalent to the so-called versed sine of the arc traversed—we have a basis for determining the strength of the deflecting force.

From A History of Science — Volume 2 by Williams, Henry Smith