Etymology
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diagraph (n.)

"instrument for drawing objects without the need for artistic skill," 1847; see dia- + -graph.

It consists of a carriage for a pencil governed by a system of cords and pulleys working at right angles to one another, and set in motion by the movement of a pointer, which is passed by the operator, who is careful to keep his eye at a fixed point of view, around the apparent outlines of his subject. The pencil describes on the paper the exact motions of the pointer, and thus reproduces the desired object. [Century Dictionary]

Earlier it meant "a description" (by 1798).

Entries linking to diagraph

dia- 

before vowels, di-, word-forming element meaning "through, in different directions, between," also often merely intensive, "thoroughly, entirely," from Greek dia "through; throughout," probably cognate with bi- and related to duo "two" (from PIE root *dwo- "two") with a base sense of "twice."

-graph 

modern word-forming element meaning "instrument for recording; that which writes, marks, or describes; something written," from Greek -graphos "-writing, -writer" (as in autographos "written with one's own hand"), from graphe "writing, the art of writing, a writing," from graphein "to write, express by written characters," earlier "to draw, represent by lines drawn" (see -graphy). Adopted widely (Dutch -graaf, German -graph, French -graphe, Spanish -grafo). Related: -grapher; -graphic; -graphical.

updated on August 22, 2018

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Dictionary entries near diagraph

diagnoses

diagnosis

diagnostic

diagonal

diagram

diagraph

dial

dialect

dialectal

dialectic

dialectical

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