caliper

noun cal·i·per \ ˈka-lə-pər \

Definition of caliper

1 a :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

See caliper defined for English-language learners

See caliper defined for kids

Recent Examples of caliper from the Web

Every one comes with the light-gray paint, dark-red Brembo brake calipers, and 19-inch polished-aluminum wheels with Midnight Silver–painted accents.

— alexander stoklosa, Car and Driver, "2018 Cadillac CTS-V Glacier Metallic Edition: A Sort-Of 115th Birthday Product!," 22 Aug. 2017
Stopping power is provided by Brembo brakes with red calipers that feature the 1LE logo.

— terry troy, cleveland.com, "New 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE breaks record at Nurburgring," 22 July 2017
Four-piston Brembo brake calipers peek through 20-inch front and rear wheels.

— josh jacquot, Car and Driver, "2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS," 19 July 2017
Since a track-day car that goes like hell and doesn't stop is a car that crashes, Chevy fits huge 15.4-inch (391mm) brake rotors in front with six-piston Brembo calipers that use every millimeter of space inside the 19-inch diameter wheel.

— jim resnick, Ars Technica, "Camaro goes nuclear: Chevrolet escalates the muscle car war," 18 July 2017
The high-performance braking system brings all that go to a whoa in a hurry, thanks to six-piston front brake calipers and four-piston rears.

— star-telegram, star-telegram.com, "An Exuberant Spirit: The all-new Lexus LC 500 exudes luxurious edginess," 5 July 2017
Likewise braking is first rate with Jurid performance front brakes and red calipers all around.

— mark savage, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Savage on Wheels: 2018 Subaru WRX," 27 June 2017
Four-wheel disc brakes (11.8-inch front discs or 12.6-inch for the 2.0-liter) are fitted with Duralife rotors with low-drag calipers; rear discs are 11.3-inch on all models.

— mark maynard, sandiegouniontribune.com, "2018 Chevrolet Equinox: Smaller, more polished and still family functional," 23 June 2017
Sport variants, available in both base and Ti configurations, include paddle shifters, aluminum interior trim and pedals, larger wheels, painted brake calipers (in red, black, or yellow), and gloss-black exterior trim.

— eric tingwall, Car and Driver, "2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio," 22 June 2017

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.

Illustration of caliper

Origin and Etymology of caliper

alteration of caliber

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1581

See Words from the same year

caliper

verb

Definition of caliper

calipered; calipering \-p(ə-)riŋ\

transitive verb

:to measure by or as if by calipers

First Known Use of caliper

1793

CALIPER Defined for Kids

caliper

noun cal·i·per \ ˈka-lə-pər \

Definition of caliper for Students

: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

Medical Dictionary

caliper

noun cal·i·per

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

medical Definition of caliper

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