1. plural of hypotenuse; the side of a right triangle opposite the right angle, and the longest side of the triangle
Usage: mathematics; geometry

Examples

• In a right triangle, the hypothenuses are always longer than either of the other two sides.
• The Pythagorean theorem states that the square of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides.
• Students calculated the hypothenuses of several right triangles using the formula a² + b² = c².
• The hypothenuses of these similar triangles are proportional to their corresponding sides.
• We measured the hypothenuses of the right triangles to verify our calculations.