Word Study
cylinder
CIDE DICTIONARY
cylinder, n. [F. cylindre, OF. cilindre, L. cylindrus, fr. Gr. ky`lindros, fr. kyli`ndein, kyli`ein, to roll. Cf. Calender the machine.].
- A solid body which may be generated by the rotation of a parallelogram round one its sides; or a body of rollerlike form, of which the longitudinal section is oblong, and the cross section is circular. [1913 Webster]
- Any hollow body of cylindrical form [1913 Webster]
- The revolving square prism carrying the cards in a Jacquard loom. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
cylinder, n.
1 a a uniform solid or hollow body with straight sides and a circular section. b a thing of this shape, e.g. a container for liquefied gas.
2 a cylinder-shaped part of various machines, esp. a piston-chamber in an engine.
3 Printing a metal roller.
1 a a uniform solid or hollow body with straight sides and a circular section. b a thing of this shape, e.g. a container for liquefied gas.
2 a cylinder-shaped part of various machines, esp. a piston-chamber in an engine.
3 Printing a metal roller.
Idiom
cylinder saw = crown saw. cylinder seal Antiq. a small barrel-shaped object of stone or baked clay bearing a cuneiform inscription, esp. for use as a seal.
Derivative
cylindrical adj. cylindrically adv.
Etymology
L cylindrus f. Gk kulindros f. kulindo roll
ROGET THESAURUS
cylinder
Rotundity
N rotundity, roundness, cylindricity, sphericity, spheroidity, globosity, cylinder, cylindroid, cylindrical, barrel, drum, roll, roller, rouleau, column, rolling-pin, rundle, cone, conoid, pear shape, egg shape, bell shape, sphere, globe, ball, boulder, bowlder, spheroid, ellipsoid, oblong spheroid, oblate spheroid, prolate spheroid, drop, spherule, globule, vesicle, bulb, bullet, pellet, pelote, clew, pill, marble, pea, knob, pommel, horn, knot (convolution), curved surface, hypersphere, hyperdimensional surface, rotund, round, cylindric, cylindrical, cylindroid, columnar, lumbriciform, conic, conical, spherical, spheroidal, globular, globated, globous, globose, egg shaped, bell shaped, pear shaped, ovoid, oviform, gibbous, rixiform, campaniform, campanulate, campaniliform, fungiform, bead-like, moniliform, pyriform, bulbous, tres atque rotundus, round as an orange, round as an apple, round as a ball, round as a billiard ball, round as a cannon ball.For further exploring for "cylinder" in Webster Dictionary Online