caliper

noun

cal·i·per | \ ˈka-lə-pər

Definition of caliper

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : any of various measuring instruments having two usually adjustable arms, legs, or jaws used especially to measure diameter or thickness —usually used in plural a pair of calipers

b : a device for pressing a frictional material (such as a brake pad) against the sides of a rotating wheel or disc

2 : thickness especially of paper, cardboard, or a tree

caliper

verb

calipered; calipering\ ˈka-lə-p(ə-)riŋ

Definition of caliper (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to measure by or as if by calipers

Examples of caliper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Researchers have used scanners, photocopiers, calipers, rulers, and even x-ray machines to assess finger length; in some studies the subjects measured themselves. — Mitch Leslie, Science | AAAS, "Talk to the hand. Scientists try to debunk idea that finger length can reveal personality and health," 6 June 2019 Silver calipers with red Alfa script are eye-catching. — Mark Maynard, sandiegouniontribune.com, "2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio: An Italian job for the family," 12 Jan. 2018 Inadequate development at the manufacturer that leaves brake systems prone to noise can usually be overcome by a Saturday mechanic without totally re-engineering the caliper/mount/pad/disc system. — Mike Allen, Popular Mechanics, "How to Fix Squeaky Brakes," 14 Mar. 2019 Brembo developed a special brake caliper for the project simply because the company wanted to. — Eric Tegler, Ars Technica, "Working on this Singer 911 restoration “turns” Williams F1 engineers," 24 Aug. 2018 One notable win came from lightweight brake rotors and calipers. — Eric Tegler, Ars Technica, "Working on this Singer 911 restoration “turns” Williams F1 engineers," 24 Aug. 2018 For brakes, the LiveWire will have Brembo Monoblock front calipers on dual 300mm discs, with antilock braking and traction control standard. — Alexander George, Popular Mechanics, "The Harley-Davidson LiveWire Electric Motorcycle Goes Public," 6 Nov. 2018 My specific Performance 3 loaner car had the $5,000 Performance Upgrade package: 20-inch wheels, a carbon fiber spoiler, and bigger brakes with the calipers painted red. — Alexander George, Popular Mechanics, "My 72 Hours With the Tesla Model 3 Performance Edition," 13 Sep. 2018 For instance, cold forging is used for three-dimensional objects such as brake calipers, while hot closed-die forging, where the metal is heated and then injected into a form, is best for complicated shapes such as brake levers. — Aaron Gulley, Outside Online, "Shimano Unveils New XTR 9100 Components," 29 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Standard Tornado Red calipers signal to the 99.999999 percent that this is indeed the V-8 trim. — Tony Markovich, Car and Driver, "SUV-8: Bentley Bentayga Gets a 542-HP Twin-Turbo Eight-Cylinder," 12 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'caliper.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

11 Jun 2019

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Time Traveler for caliper

The first known use of caliper was in 1581

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More Definitions for caliper

caliper

noun

cal·i·per | \ ˈka-lə-pər

Kids Definition of caliper

: an instrument with two adjustable legs used to measure the thickness of objects or the distance between surfaces —usually used in pl. a pair of calipers

caliper

noun

cal·i·per

variants: or chiefly British calliper \ ˈkal-ə-pər

Medical Definition of caliper

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : any of various measuring instruments having two usually adjustable arms, legs, or jaws used to measure thickness, diameter, and distance between surfaces —usually used in plural a pair of calipers

2 : caliper splint