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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

du·plex       (dōō'plěks', dyōō'-)  Pronunciation Key  adj.   Twofold; double. Having two apartments, divisions, or floors. Relating to or being a single assembly of machinery having two identical units that are capable of operating simultaneously or independently. Electronics Of or relating to a communications mode, as in a telephone system, that provides simultaneous transmission and reception in both directions. n.   A house divided into two living units or residences, usually having separate entrances. Something, such as an apartment, that is duplex. [Latin; see dwo- in Indo-European roots.] du·plex'i·ty (-plěk'sĭ-tē) n.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
duplex 

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

duplex
adjective
1.	(used technically of a device or process) having two parts; "a duplex transaction"
2.	allowing communication in opposite directions simultaneously; "duplex system"; "duplex telephony"
noun
1.	a house with two units sharing a common wall [syn: duplex house]
2.	an apartment having rooms on two floors that are connected by a staircase [syn: duplex apartment]
verb
1.	change into a duplex

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing - Cite This Source - Share This

duplex communications
Used to describe a communications channel that can carry signals in both directions, in contrast to a simplex channel which only ever carries a signal in one direction.
If signals can only flow in one direction at a time the communications is "half-duplex", like a single-lane road with traffic lights at each end. Walkie-talkies with a "press-to-talk" button provide half-duplex communications.
If signals can flow in both directions simultaneously the communications is "full-duplex", like a normal two-lane road. Telephones provide full-duplex communications.
The term "duplex" was first used in wireless, telegraph, and telephone communications. Nearly all communications circuits used by computers are two-way, so the term is seldom used.
(http://cit.ac.nz/smac/dc100www/dc_014.htm).
(2001-07-21)

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Duplex

Dou"ble\, a. [OE. doble, duble, double, OF. doble, duble, double, F. double, fr. L. duplus, fr. the root of duo two, and perh. that of plenus full; akin to Gr. ? double. See Two, and Full, and cf. Diploma, Duple.]

1. Twofold; multiplied by two; increased by its equivalent; made twice as large or as much, etc.

Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. -- 2 Kings ii. 9.

Darkness and tempest make a double night. --Dryden.

2. Being in pairs; presenting two of a kind, or two in a set together; coupled.

[Let] The swan, on still St. Mary's lake, Float double, swan and shadow. --Wordsworth.

3. Divided into two; acting two parts, one openly and the other secretly; equivocal; deceitful; insincere.

With a double heart do they speak. -- Ps. xii. 2.

4. (Bot.) Having the petals in a flower considerably increased beyond the natural number, usually as the result of cultivation and the expense of the stamens, or stamens and pistils. The white water lily and some other plants have their blossoms naturally double.

Note: Double is often used as the first part of a compound word, generally denoting two ways, or twice the number, quantity, force, etc., twofold, or having two.

Double base, or Double bass (Mus.), the largest and lowest-toned instrument in the violin form; the contrabasso or violone.

Double convex. See under Convex.

Double counterpoint (Mus.), that species of counterpoint or composition, in which two of the parts may be inverted, by setting one of them an octave higher or lower.

Double court (Lawn Tennis), a court laid out for four players, two on each side.

Double dagger (Print.), a reference mark ([dag]) next to the dagger ([dagger]) in order; a diesis.

Double drum (Mus.), a large drum that is beaten at both ends.

Double eagle, a gold coin of the United States having the value of 20 dollars.

Double entry. See under Bookkeeping.

Double floor (Arch.), a floor in which binding joists support flooring joists above and ceiling joists below. See Illust. of Double-framed floor.

Double flower. See Double, a., 4.

Double-framed floor (Arch.), a double floor having girders into which the binding joists are framed.

Double fugue (Mus.), a fugue on two subjects.

Double letter. (a) (Print.) Two letters on one shank; a ligature. (b) A mail requiring double postage.

Double note (Mus.), a note of double the length of the semibreve; a breve. See Breve.

Double octave (Mus.), an interval composed of two octaves, or fifteen notes, in diatonic progression; a fifteenth.

Double pica. See under Pica.

Double play (Baseball), a play by which two players are put out at the same time.

Double plea (Law), a plea alleging several matters in answer to the declaration, where either of such matters alone would be a sufficient bar to the action. --Stephen.

Double point (Geom.), a point of a curve at which two branches cross each other. Conjugate or isolated points of a curve are called double points, since they possess most of the properties of double points (see Conjugate). They are also called acnodes, and those points where the branches of the curve really cross are called crunodes. The extremity of a cusp is also a double point.

Double quarrel. (Eccl. Law) See Duplex querela, under Duplex.

Double refraction. (Opt.) See Refraction.

Double salt. (Chem.) (a) A mixed salt of any polybasic acid which has been saturated by different bases or basic radicals, as the double carbonate of sodium and potassium, NaKCO3.6H2O. (b) A molecular combination of two distinct salts, as common alum, which consists of the sulphate of aluminium, and the sulphate of potassium or ammonium.

Double shuffle, a low, noisy dance.

Double standard (Polit. Econ.), a double standard of monetary values; i. e., a gold standard and a silver standard, both of which are made legal tender.

Double star (Astron.), two stars so near to each other as to be seen separate only by means of a telescope. Such stars may be only optically near to each other, or may be physically connected so that they revolve round their common center of gravity, and in the latter case are called also binary stars.

Double time (Mil.). Same as Double-quick.

Double window, a window having two sets of glazed sashes with an air space between them.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Duplex

Du"plex\, a. [L., fr. duo two + plicare to fold. See Two, and Complex.] Double; twofold.

Duplex escapement, a peculiar kind of watch escapement, in which the scape-wheel has two sets of teeth. See Escapement.

Duplex lathe, one for turning off, screwing, and surfacing, by means of two cutting tools, on opposite sides of the piece operated upon.

Duplex pumping engine, a steam pump in which two steam cylinders are placed side by side, one operating the valves of the other.

Duplex querela [L., double complaint] (Eccl. Law), a complaint in the nature of an appeal from the ordinary to his immediate superior, as from a bishop to an archbishop. --Mozley & W.

Duplex telegraphy, a system of telegraphy for sending two messages over the same wire simultaneously.

Duplex watch, one with a duplex escapement.

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DUPLEX

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