• Subtend

    Pronunciation

    • IPA: /sÊŒbˈtÉ›nd/
    • Rhymes: -É›nd

    Origin

    Latin subtendere; sub under + tendere to stretch, extend. See tend.

    Full definition of subtend

    Verb

    1. (transitive) To extend or stretch underneath or opposite something
      • 2012, Me, myself, us,The Economist, 16th august 2012 issue...trillions of bacteria, each equally an individual, which are found in a person’s gut, his mouth, his scalp, his skin and all of the crevices and orifices that subtend from his body’s surface.
    2. (mathematics) To enclose an arc on a circle with an angleA 43° angle subtends an arc about ¾ meter long on a circle with a radius of 1 meter.
    © Wiktionary