pantograph
/ˈpantəɡɹɑːf/ noun, verb
Forms pantographs pantographing pantographed pentegraph
- noun A mechanical linkage based on parallelograms causing two objects to move in parallel; notably as a drawing aid. “A pantograph can be adjusted to make either scaled or exact copies.”
- noun By extension, a structure of crosswise bars linked in such a way that it can extend and compress like an accordion, such as in a pantograph mirror or a scissor lift.
- noun A pattern printed on a document to reduce the ease of photocopying. “I was impressed by the quality of the pantograph; I hadn't noticed it on the original, but the copies were covered in unpleasant lines.”
- noun (rail transport) A similarly-formed conductive device, now usually Z-shaped, that collects electric current from overhead lines for trains and trams.
- verb To engrave by means of a pantograph (parallel linkage) system.
Synonyms
Etymology
From French pantographe, from panto- (from Ancient Greek παντός (pantós), genitive singular of πᾶν (pân, “all”)), and -graphe (from γράφειν (gráphein, “to write”)).
Webster’s 1913
- noun An instrument for copying plans, maps, and other drawings, on the same, or on a reduced or an enlarged, scale. [Written also pantagraph, and incorrectly pentagraph.] Skew pantograph, a kind of pantograph for drawing a copy which is inclined with respect to the original figure; --also called plagiograph.
Etymology [Panto- + -graph: cf. F. pantographe.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “pantograph”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details