English Dictionary: diaphragm | by the DICT Development Group |
2 results for diaphragm | |
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: | |
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From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Diaphragm \Di"a*phragm\, n. [L. diaphragma, Gr. [?], fr. [?] to fence by a partition wall; dia` through + [?], [?], to fence, inclose; prob. akin to L. fareire to stuff: cf. F. diaphragme. See {Farce}.] 1. A dividing membrane or thin partition, commonly with an opening through it. 2. (Anat.) The muscular and tendinous partition separating the cavity of the chest from that of the abdomen; the midriff. 3. (Zo[94]l.) A calcareous plate which divides the cavity of certain shells into two parts. 4. (Opt.) A plate with an opening, which is generally circular, used in instruments to cut off marginal portions of a beam of light, as at the focus of a telescope. 5. (Mach.) A partition in any compartment, for various purposes. {Diaphragm pump}, one in which a flexible diaphragm takes the place of a piston. |