aperture

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ap=er=ture

CIDE DICTIONARY

aperture, n. [L. apertura, fr. aperire. See Aperient.].

•  The act of opening.  [1913 Webster]
•  An opening; an open space; a gap, cleft, or chasm; a passage perforated; a hole; as, an aperture in a wall.  [1913 Webster]

  "An aperture between the mountains."  [1913 Webster]

  "The back aperture of the nostrils."  [1913 Webster]
•  The diameter of the exposed part of the object glass of a telescope or other optical instrument; as, a telescope of four-inch aperture.  [1913 Webster]

  " The aperture of microscopes is often expressed in degrees, called also the angular aperture, which signifies the angular breadth of the pencil of light which the instrument transmits from the object or point viewed; as, a microscope of 100aperture."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

aperture, n.
1 an opening; a gap.
2 a space through which light passes in an optical or photographic instrument, esp. a variable space in a camera.

Etymology

L apertura (as APERITIF)

THESAURUS

aperture

access, aisle, alley, ambulatory, arcade, artery, avenue, bore, breach, break, broaching, cavity, channel, chasm, check, chink, clearing, cleft, cloister, colonnade, communication, conduit, connection, corridor, covered way, crack, crevice, cut, defile, disclosure, discontinuity, exit, fenestra, ferry, fissure, fistula, fontanel, foramen, ford, gallery, gap, gape, gash, gat, gulf, hiatus, hole, hollow, inlet, interchange, intersection, interstice, interval, junction, lacuna, lane, laying open, leak, opening, opening up, orifice, outlet, overpass, pass, passage, passageway, perforation, pinhole, pore, portico, prick, puncture, railroad tunnel, rupture, slash, slit, slot, space, split, stoma, throwing open, traject, trajet, tunnel, uncorking, underpass, unstopping, vent, yawn

ROGET THESAURUS

aperture

Opening

N opening, hole, foramen, puncture, perforation, fontanel, transforation, pinhole, keyhole, loophole, porthole, peephole, mousehole, pigeonhole, eye of a needle, eyelet, slot, opening, aperture, apertness, hiation, yawning, oscitancy, dehiscence, patefaction, pandiculation, chasm, embrasure, window, casement, abatjour, light, sky light, fan light, lattice, bay window, bow window, oriel, dormer, lantern, outlet, inlet, vent, vomitory, embouchure, orifice, mouth, sucker, muzzle, throat, gullet, weasand, wizen, nozzle, placket, portal, porch, gate, ostiary, postern, wicket, trapdoor, hatch, door, arcade, cellarway, driveway, gateway, doorway, hatchway, gangway, lich gate, way, path, thoroughfare, channel, passage, passageway, tube, pipe, water pipe, air pipe, vessel, tubule, canal, gut, fistula, adjutage, ajutage, ostium, smokestack, chimney, flue, tap, funnel, gully, tunnel, main, mine, pit, adit, shaft, gallery, alley, aisle, glade, vista, bore, caliber, pore, blind orifice, fulgurite, thundertube, porousness, porosity, sieve, cullender, colander, cribble, riddle, screen, honeycomb, apertion, perforation, piercing, terebration, empalement, pertusion, puncture, acupuncture, penetration, key, opener, master key, password, combination, passe- partout, open, perforated, perforate, wide open, ajar, unclosed, unstopped, oscitant, gaping, yawning, patent, tubular, cannular, fistulous, pervious, permeable, foraminous, vesicular, vasicular, porous, follicular, cribriform, honeycombed, infundibular, riddled, tubulous, tubulated, piped, tubate, opening, aperient, Int, open sesame!.