English Explanatory Dictionary

diameter

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any straight line between two points on the circumference of a circle that passes through the centre/center of the circle; a chord that passes through the center of the circle.
  2. The length of such a line.
  3. The maximum distance between any two points in a metric space.
  4. The maximum eccentricity over all vertices in a graph.

Pronunciation

/daɪˈæmɪtə(ɹ)/ dī-ăm'ĭtər /daɪˈæmɪdɚ/ /daɪˈæmədɚ/ en-us-diameter.ogg

Word forms

diameter diameters diametre ⌀

Etymology

From Old French diametre (French diamètre), from Latin diametros, from Ancient Greek διάμετρος (diámetros) (γραμμή (grammḗ)) (diametros grammē, “line measuring across”), from διά (diá, “across”) + μέτρον (métron, “measure”). By surface analysis, dia- + -meter.

Related words

diametric diametrically semidiameter circumference radius

Derived words

aerodiameter circumdiameter diameterwise inner diameter inside diameter internal diameter major diameter minor diameter multidiameter tactical diameter
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