DIAMETER

diameter, diam

(noun) the length of a straight line passing through the center of a circle and connecting two points on the circumference

diameter

(noun) a straight line connecting the center of a circle with two points on its perimeter (or the center of a sphere with two points on its surface)

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

diameter (plural diameters)

(geometry) Any straight line between two points on the circumference of a circle that passes through the centre/center of the circle.

(geometry) The length of such a line.

(geometry) The maximum distance between any two points in a metric space

(graph theory) The maximum eccentricity over all vertices in a graph.

Anagrams

• Demetria, diametre, diatreme

Source: Wiktionary

Di*am"e*ter, n. Etym: [F. diamètre, L. diametros, fr. Gr. Meter.]

1. (Geom.) (a) Any right line passing through the center of a figure or body, as a circle, conic section, sphere, cube, etc., and terminated by the opposite boundaries; a straight line which bisects a system of parallel chords drawn in a curve. (b) A diametral plane.

2. The length of a straight line through the center of an object from side to side; width; thickness; as, the diameter of a tree or rock.

Note: In an elongated object the diameter is usually taken at right angles to the longer axis.

3. (Arch.)

Definition: The distance through the lower part of the shaft of a column, used as a standard measure for all parts of the order. See Module. Conjugate diameters. See under Conjugate.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition