[ahr-kuh-mee-deez] Pronunciation Key | 287?–212 b.c., Greek mathematician, physicist, and inventor: discovered the principles of specific gravity and of the lever. |
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
| Ar·chi·me·des
(är'kə-mē'dēz) Pronunciation Key
Greek mathematician, engineer, and physicist. Among the most important intellectual figures of antiquity, he discovered formulas for the area and volume of various geometric figures, applied geometry to hydrostatics and mechanics, devised numerous ingenious mechanisms, such as the Archimedean screw, and discovered the principle of buoyancy. Ar'chi·me'de·an (-mē'dē-ən, -mĭ-dē'-) adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
| archimedes | |
noun | |
| Greek mathematician and physicist noted for his work in hydrostatics and mechanics and geometry (287-212 BC) |
| Archimedes
(är'kə-mē'dēz) Pronunciation Key
Greek mathematician, engineer, and inventor. He made numerous mathematical discoveries, including the ratio of the radius of a circle to its circumference as well as formulas for the areas and volumes of various geometric figures. Archimedes created the science of mechanics, devising the first general theory of levers and finding methods for determining the center of gravity of a variety of bodies. He also invented an early type of pump called the Archimedian screw.
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Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Archimedes [(ahr-kuh-mee-deez)]
An ancient Greek scientist, mathematician, and inventor. He is best known for his investigations of buoyancy.
Note: Archimedes is said to have shouted “Eureka!” (“I have found it!”) as he stepped into his bath and realized that the volume of an object can be measured by determining how much water it displaces. He used this insight to measure the volume of a crown supposedly made of pure gold. After measuring the crown's volume and weighing it, he could calculate its density. He then could prove that the crown was not dense enough to be pure gold.
Note: According to the “principle of Archimedes,” when an object placed in water is weighed, and its weight in the water is compared to its weight out of the water, it seems to lose a definite amount — an amount equal to the weight of the water it displaces. This principle holds not only for water, but also for gases, such as air. A boat floats, or a balloon rises, because it weighs less than the material it displaces. (See buoyancy.) Archimedes is also supposed to have said, with regard to levers and fulcrums, “Give me the place to stand, and a lever long enough, and I will move the Earth!”
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Archimedes computer
A family of microcomputers produced by Acorn Computers, Cambridge, UK. The Archimedes, launched in June 1987, was the first RISC based personal computer (predating Apple Computer's Power Mac by some seven years). It uses the Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) processor and includes Acorn's multitasking operating system and graphical user interface, RISC OS on ROM, along with an interpreter for Acorn's enhanced BASIC, BASIC V.
The Archimedes was designed as the successor to Acorn's sucessful BBC Microcomputer series and includes some backward compatibility and a 6502 emulator. Several utilities are included free on disk (later in ROM) such as a text editor, paint and draw programs. Software emulators are also available for the IBM PC as well as add-on Intel processor cards.
There have been several series of Archimedes: A300, A400, A3000, A5000, A4000 and RISC PC.
Usenet FAQ. Archive site list. HENSA archive. Stuttgart archive.
See also Crisis Software, Warm Silence Software.
(1998-04-03)
Archimedes
Ar`chi*me"des\, n. (Paleon.) An extinct genus of Bryzoa characteristic of the subcarboniferous rocks. Its form is that of a screw.
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