a trigonometric function that in a right-angled triangle is the ratio of the length of the opposite side to that of the hypotenuse
b.
a function that in a circle centred at the origin of a Cartesian coordinate system is the ratio of the ordinate of a point on the circumference to the radius of the circle
Abbreviation: sin
Word origin
C16: from Latin sinus a bend; in New Latin, sinus was mistaken as a translation of Arabic jiba sine (from Sanskrit jīva, literally: bowstring) because of confusion with Arabic jaib curve
sine in British English2
(ˈsaɪnɪ)
preposition
(esp in Latin phrases or legal terms) lacking; without
sine in American English1
(saɪn)
noun TrigonometryMathematics
the reciprocal of the cosecant
; specif.,
a.
the ratio of the opposite side of a given acute angle in a right triangle to the hypotenuse
b.
an equivalent, positive or negative ratio for certain related angles (Ex.: the sine of 57° or 123° is .8387, of 237° or 303° is -.8387) or real numbers representing radians (Ex.: the sine of .9948 radians (57°) is .8387)
Word origin
ML sinus (< L, a bend, curve, hanging fold of a toga), used as transl. of Ar jaib, sine, bosom of a garment
sine in American English2
(ˈsaɪni)
Latin
preposition
without
Examples of 'sine' in a sentence
sine
It would not be too many stages before it vanished altogether and a bathroom would become a sine qua non for our future happiness.
Secombe, Fred GOODBYE CURATE (2000)
Giving up one's freedom is, paradoxically, the sine qua non of proceeding on the path to liberation.
Luke Rhinehart THE BOOK OF THE DIE (2000)
All related terms of 'sine'
sine die
without a day fixed
sine wave
any oscillation , such as a sound wave or alternating current , whose waveform is that of a sine curve
sine curve
a curve of the equation y = sin x
sine prole
without issue (esp in the phrase demisit sine prole ( died without issue))
versed sine
a trigonometric function equal to one minus the cosine of the specified angle
coversed sine
obsolete function in trigonometry
hyperbolic sine
one of a group of functions of an angle expressed as a relationship between the distances of a point on a hyperbola to the origin and to the coordinate axes ; sinh
sine qua non
A sine qua non is something that is essential if you want to achieve a particular thing.