Definition

1. Noun:
   • The length of a straight line passing through the center of a circle and connecting two points on the circumference: This is the standard geometric definition for the distance across a circle through its center point.

Usage

• The word "diam" is a standard abbreviation for the full word "diameter." It is primarily used in technical, mathematical, engineering, and scientific contexts where space is limited or as a shorthand in notes, diagrams, and informal communication. It is not typically used in formal prose.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The spec sheet lists the pipe's internal diam as 2 inches. (The specification sheet lists the pipe's internal diameter as 2 inches.)
  • Calculate the circle's area using its diam. (Calculate the circle's area using its diameter.)
  • Please measure the diam of the wheel. (Please measure the diameter of the wheel.)

Advanced Usage

• "diam.": The word is very frequently written with a period ("diam.") to explicitly mark it as an abbreviation.
  • The bolt has a diam. of 10 mm. (The bolt has a diameter of 10 mm.)

Variants and Related Words

• Diameter (n): The full, formal word from which "diam" is derived. It has the same definition.
• Radius (n): Half of a diameter; the distance from the center of a circle to its circumference.
• Circumference (n): The distance around a circle.

Synonyms

• Width (when referring to the measurement across a circular object).
• Breadth (similar to width, for the measurement across).

Related Phrases

• Inside Diameter (ID) / Outside Diameter (OD): Common technical terms often abbreviated as "ID" and "OD," where "diameter" might be implied or shortened to "diam."
  • The OD is 50 mm, and the ID is 45 mm. (The outside diameter is 50 mm, and the inside diameter is 45 mm.)

Noun

1. the length of a straight line passing through the center of a circle and connecting two points on the circumference