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Origin and history of diameter

diameter(n.)

late 14c., in geometry, "chord of a circle or sphere which passes through its center; the length of a diameter," from Old French diametre, from Latin diametrus, from Greek diametros (gramme) "diagonal of a circle," from dia "across, through" (see dia-) + metron "a measure" (from PIE root *me- (2) "to measure").

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to diameter

diametral(adj.)

1550s, "pertaining to a diameter," from Old French diametral (14c.), from Medieval Latin diametralis, from diametrus (see diameter).

diametric(adj.)

"of or pertaining to a diameter," 1802, probably shortened from diametrical (1550s); see diameter + -ical.

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