pantograph

English

A pantograph for drawing

A pantograph mirror

An original-style diamond rail pantograph

Alternative forms

• pentegraph (archaic)

Etymology

From French pantographe, from panto- (from Ancient Greek παντός (pantós), genitive singular of πᾶν (pân, “all”)), and -graphe (from γράφειν (gráphein, “to write”)).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpantəɡɹɑːf/, /ˈpantəɡɹaf/

Noun

pantograph (plural pantographs)

1. 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.

   Synonyms: lazy tongs, omnigraph

2. 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.
3. 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.

4. (rail transport) A similarly-formed conductive device, now usually Z-shaped, that collects electric current from overhead lines for trains and trams.

Derived terms

• pantographer

Related terms

• bow collector
• trolley pole

Translations

mechanical drawing aid

• Albanian: pantográf m
• Catalan: pantògraf (ca) m
• Czech: pantograf (cs) m
• Dutch: pantograaf (nl), tekenaap (nl) m
• Finnish: pantografi, suhdepiirrin
• French: pantographe (fr) m
• Italian: pantografo (it) m
• Russian: панто́граф (ru) m (pantógraf)
• Spanish: pantógrafo (es) m

accordion-like extendable structure

• Finnish: haitari (fi)

pattern to hamper photocopying

rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines

• Albanian: pantográf m
• Catalan: pantògraf (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 集電弓／集电弓 (zh) (jídiàngōng)

• Czech: pantograf (cs) m
• Danish: strømaftager
• Dutch: (tram)beugel, stroomafnemer
• Finnish: saksivirroitin
• French: pantographe (fr) m
• German: Stromabnehmer (de) m, Pantograf
• Italian: pantografo (it) m
• Japanese: パンタグラフ (pantagurafu)
• Korean: 집전장치(集電裝置) (jipjeonjangchi)
• Norwegian: strømavtaker (Bokmål)
  • straumavtakar (Nynorsk)
• Polish: pantograf (pl) m
• Russian: панто́граф (ru) m (pantógraf), токоприёмник (ru) m (tokoprijómnik)
• Spanish: pantógrafo (es) m
• Swedish: strömavtagare (sv), pantograf
• Turkish: pantograf (tr)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Albanian: pantográf m
• Esperanto: ^{(please verify)} pantografo
• French: ^{(please verify)} pantographe (fr) m
• Norwegian: ^{(please verify)} pantograf

A modern Z-shaped rail pantograph

Verb

pantograph (third-person singular simple present pantographs, present participle pantographing, simple past and past participle pantographed)

1. To engrave by means of a pantograph (parallel linkage) system.

Further reading

• pantograph on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Pantograph (rail) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Category:Pantographs on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons
• https://web.archive.org/web/20071030212926/http://glossary.ippaper.com/default.asp?req=knowledge%2Farticle%2F243