theodolite
/θiːˈɒdəlaɪt/ noun
Forms theodolites
- noun A surveying instrument, consisting of a small mounted telescope, used to measure horizontal and vertical angles.
Synonyms
Etymology
From New Latin theodolitus (1571), perhaps containing Ancient Greek θέᾱ (théā, “sight, view”) and Arabic العِضَادَة (al-ʕiḍāda, “astrolabe, alidade”); if so, doublet of alidade.
Webster’s 1913
- noun An instrument used, especially in trigonometrical surveying, for the accurate measurement of horizontal angles, and also usually of vertical angles. It is variously constructed.
Etymology [Probably a corruption of the alidade. See Alidade.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “theodolite”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details