tangenti

Tangenti is the plural form of tangente in Italian and can refer to different concepts depending on the context. In mathematics, tangente denotes a tangent; tangenti would be used when discussing multiple tangents to curves or circles. A tangent line to a curve at a point is the line that just touches the curve at that point and has the same instantaneous direction as the curve there. For a differentiable function, the tangent line at a given point has slope equal to the derivative at that point, and it locally approximates the curve by a linear function.

In Italian usage, tangenti also means bribes or kickbacks. The term is widely used in journalism and political discourse to describe illicit payments intended to influence decisions. The phrase tangentopoli, literally "bribes city," was popularized to name large-scale corruption investigations in Italy in the early 1990s.

Etymology: Tangente derives from Latin tangens, from tangere, meaning "to touch." The plural tangenti follows standard Italian noun pluralization.

See also: Tangent, Tangente, Bribery, Tangentopoli.