Illustration of pantograph
- pantograph 1
pantograph
noun
pan·to·graph
ˈpan-tə-ˌgraf 
1
: an instrument for copying something (such as a map) on a predetermined scale consisting of four light rigid bars jointed in parallelogram form
also
: any of various extensible devices of similar construction (as for use as brackets or gates)
2
: an electrical trolley carried by a collapsible and adjustable frame
Examples of pantograph in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Route charging will also be done using reverse pantograph chargers.
—
Steve Banker, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
The trouble began when a pantograph on Metro-North train 1577 — the articulated arm that collects power from the overhead lines — snagged on the wire east of Westport, Conn., near Southport, a transit source said.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 6 June 2025
The movement tracking system was improved on two years later, with a grid of 26 sensors that fed GPS data to a cartographic pantograph in order to plot the 'moving border' between the two countries.
—New Atlas, 10 Dec. 2024
When wires sag, they can get tangled or pulled down in the apparatus on the roof of a train or trolley that connects to them (known as a pantograph), causing delays or knocking a line out of service.
—Anna Spiegel, Axios, 17 July 2024
Second, the drooping power lines increase the risk that the wires get tangled up in the pantographs, the linkages atop of the trains that slide along the catenary and draw power from it.
—Nolan Hicks, Curbed, 9 July 2024
Read full article Battiston said the pantographs — the metal arms that connect Green Line trolleys to the overhead wire — on both cars of the train were broken.
—Daniel Kool, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Aug. 2023
The pantograph, attached to the roof of the vehicle, presses against the underside of the lowest overhead wire, the contact wire, according to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.
—Zaeem Shaikh, Dallas News, 2 Aug. 2023
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Steve Banker, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
The trouble began when a pantograph on Metro-North train 1577 — the articulated arm that collects power from the overhead lines — snagged on the wire east of Westport, Conn., near Southport, a transit source said.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 6 June 2025
The movement tracking system was improved on two years later, with a grid of 26 sensors that fed GPS data to a cartographic pantograph in order to plot the 'moving border' between the two countries.
—New Atlas, 10 Dec. 2024
When wires sag, they can get tangled or pulled down in the apparatus on the roof of a train or trolley that connects to them (known as a pantograph), causing delays or knocking a line out of service.
—Anna Spiegel, Axios, 17 July 2024
Second, the drooping power lines increase the risk that the wires get tangled up in the pantographs, the linkages atop of the trains that slide along the catenary and draw power from it.
—Nolan Hicks, Curbed, 9 July 2024
Read full article Battiston said the pantographs — the metal arms that connect Green Line trolleys to the overhead wire — on both cars of the train were broken.
—Daniel Kool, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Aug. 2023
The pantograph, attached to the roof of the vehicle, presses against the underside of the lowest overhead wire, the contact wire, according to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.
—Zaeem Shaikh, Dallas News, 2 Aug. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Pantograph.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pantograph. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pantograph
noun
pan·to·graph
ˈpant-ə-ˌgraf
: an instrument for copying something (as a map) using a previously chosen scale
Medical Definition
pantograph
noun
pan·to·graph
ˈpant-ə-ˌgraf
: an instrument for copying (as from a radiograph) on a predetermined scale consisting of four light rigid bars jointed in parallelogram form
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