caliper

or cal·li·per

[ kal-uh-per ]
See synonyms for caliper on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Usually calipers. an instrument for measuring thicknesses and internal or external diameters inaccessible to a scale, consisting usually of a pair of adjustable pivoted legs.

  2. any of various calibrated instruments for measuring thicknesses or distances between surfaces, usually having a screwed or sliding adjustable piece.: Compare vernier caliper.

  1. thickness or depth, as of paper or a tree.

  2. Usually calipers. the pincers of an earwig.

  3. Automotive. the part of a disc-brake assembly that straddles the disc and presses the brake pads against it.

  4. a similar part used with a hand brake on a bicycle.

verb (used with object)
  1. to measure with calipers.

verb (used without object)
  1. to use calipers.

Origin of caliper

1
First recorded in 1580–90; presumably variant of caliber

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use caliper in a sentence

  • Whenever it encountered a stone, this was raised between its callipers and pitched out beyond the ring.

  • It clinked indeed among rules, T-squares and callipers at each footstep of the heavy printer between press and table.

    The Fifth Queen | Ford Madox Ford
  • Consequently, if a set of standard tubes is kept for comparison or callipers are used each new supply of so-called 18 by 1.5 cm.

  • It ended with Captain Bills counting out some money from a black and greasy leather wallet, and handing the money to Callipers.

    A Tale of the Tow-Path | Homer Greene
  • I saw Callipers arrested last night for stealing the horse he traded to Bill Rosencamp.

    A Tale of the Tow-Path | Homer Greene

British Dictionary definitions for caliper

caliper

/ (ˈkælɪpə) /


noun
  1. the usual US spelling of calliper

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for caliper

caliper

[ kălə-pər ]


  1. An instrument consisting of two curved legs connected at a hinge, used to measure thickness and distance. Often used in the plural as calipers.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.