Hypertext Webster Gateway: "diameter"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Diameter \Di*am"e*ter\, n. [F. diam[`e]tre, L. diametros, fr.
Gr. ?; dia` through + ? measure. See {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.) 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}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
diameter
n 1: the length of a straight line passing through the center of
a circle and connecting two points on the circumference
[syn: {diam}]
2: 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)
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.