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Diameter vs Dial - What's the difference?

diameter | dial |

As nouns the difference between diameter and dial

is that diameter is (geometry) any straight line between two points on the circumference of a circle that passes through the centre/center of the circle while dial is a graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed).

As a verb dial is

to measure or indicate something with a dial.

diameter

Alternative forms

* diametre

Noun

(en noun)
  • (geometry) Any straight line between two points on the circumference of a circle that passes through the centre/center of the circle.
  • (geometry) The length of such a line.
  • (geometry) The maximum distance between any two points in a metric space
  • (graph theory) The maximum eccentricity over all vertices in a graph.
  • See also

    * circumference * radius

    Anagrams

    * ----

    dial

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed).
  • A clock face.
  • A sundial.
  • A panel on a radio etc showing wavelengths or channels; a knob that is turned to change the wavelength etc.
  • A disk with finger holes on a telephone; used to select the number to be called.
  • (British, dated) A person's face.
  • * 1960:' ''At the sound of the old familiar voice he spun around with something of the agility of a cat on hot bricks, and I saw that his '''dial , usually cheerful, was contorted with anguish, as if he had swallowed a bad oyster.'' (, ''(Jeeves in the Offing) , chapter IX)
  • A miner's compass.
  • Verb

  • To measure or indicate something with a dial.
  • To control or select something with a dial
  • To select a number, or to call someone, on a telephone.
  • To use a dial or a telephone.
  • Usage notes

    * (term) and (term) are more common in the US. (term) and (term) are more common in the UK.

    Derived terms

    * dial-in * dial in * dial-up * dialer (US) * dial tone * misdial * redial

    Anagrams

    * * ----