Where does “tangential” come from?
Tangential comes from Latin tangentiālis, derived from tangens (touching) and -ālis (adjective suffix), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European līno- (flax, thread, line).
tangential (English): Referring to a tangent, moving at a tangent to...
Definitions
- Referring to a tangent, moving at a tangent to...
Ancestry of “tangential”, step by step
tangential traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English tangent
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | tangent | A straight line touching a curve at a single... |
| 2 | Latin | tangentem | accusative masculine singular of tangēns;... |
| 3 | Latin | tangens | touching, grasping; reaching, arriving at;... |
| 4 | Latin | tangō | to touch, grasp |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | *tangō | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | denḱ- | to bite |
via French tangentiel
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | tangentiel | tangential |