(of an angle) a trigonometric function that in a right-angled triangle is the ratio of the length of the hypotenuse to that of the opposite side; the reciprocal of sine
Abbreviation: cosec
cosecant in American English
(koʊˈsikənt; koʊsiˌkænt)
noun
TrigonometryMathematics
the reciprocal of the sine
; specif.
a.
the ratio of the hypotenuse to the opposite side of a given acute angle in a right triangle
b.
an equivalent, positive or negative ratio for certain related angles (Ex.: the cosecant of 57° or 123° is 1.1923, of 237° or 303° is −1.1923) or real numbers representing radians (Ex.: the cosecant of .9948 radians (57°) is 1.1923)
Word origin
Fr cosécante, for co. secans, short for ModL complementi secans, lit., secant of the complement