CATHETUS n. In geometry, a line or radius, falling perpendicularly on another line or surface; as the two sides of a right-angled triangle.
Cathetus of incidence, in catoptries, is a right line drawn from a point of the object, perpendicular to the reflecting line.
Cathetus of reflection, or of the eye, a right line drawn from the eye perpendicular to the reflecting plane.
Cathetus of obliquation, a right line drawn perpendicular to the speculum, in the point of incidence or reflection.
In architecture, a cathetus is a perpendicular line, supposed to pass through the middle of a cylindrical body.
