diaphragm

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English[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology[edit]

From Ancient Greek διάφραγμα (diáphragma, “partition”), from διά (diá, “across”) and φράγμα (phrágma, “barrier”), from the verb φράσσω (phrássō).

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈdaɪəˌfɹæm/
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)

Noun[edit]

diaphragm (plural diaphragms)

  1. (anatomy) In mammals, a sheet of muscle separating the thorax from the abdomen, contracted and relaxed in respiration to draw air into and expel air from the lungs; also called thoracic diaphragm.
  2. (anatomy) Any of various membranes or sheets of muscle or ligament which separate one cavity from another.
  3. A contraceptive device consisting of a flexible cup, used to cover the cervix during intercourse.
  4. (mechanics) A flexible membrane separating two chambers and fixed around its periphery that distends into one or other chamber as the difference in the pressure in the chambers varies.
  5. (acoustics) In a speaker, the thin, semi-rigid membrane which vibrates to produce sound.
  6. (optics, photography) A thin opaque structure with a central aperture, used to limit the passage of light into a camera or similar device.
  7. (chemistry) A permeable or semipermeable membrane.
    • 1921, Wilder Dwight Bancroft, Applied Colloid Chemistry: General Theory‎[1], page 207:
      The mass of liquid transported through a porous diaphragm in a given time is directly proportional to the current.
  8. (construction) A floor slab, metal wall panel, roof panel or the like, having a sufficiently large in-plane shear stiffness and sufficient strength to transmit horizontal forces to resisting systems.

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

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

Verb[edit]

diaphragm (third-person singular simple present diaphragms, present participle diaphragming, simple past and past participle diaphragmed)

  1. (optics, photography) To reduce lens aperture using an optical diaphragm.
    • 1870, D. Appleton & Co., Appletons' Annual Cyclopædia and Register of Important Events of the Year 1869‎[2], page 43:
      He employs an equatorial with an object-glass having a focal length of five metres, and which was diaphragmed down to eight centimetres.
  2. To act as a diaphragm, for example by vibrating.
    • 1996, Tom Drozda et al., Tool and Manufacturing Engineers Handbook, vol. VIII: Plastic Part Manufacturing‎[3], →ISBN, page 16-24:
      The holes and burning are caused by the part diaphragming at 20000-40000 cycles/second.

Translations[edit]

Gallery[edit]

  • The thoracic diaphragm.
    The thoracic diaphragm.
  • A mechanical diaphragm.
    A mechanical diaphragm.
  • An acoustic diaphragm.
    An acoustic diaphragm.
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