See Also: diaphragm(dictionary)
Diaphragm(medicine)
diaphragm(encyclopedia)
diaphragm(dictionary)
Diaphragm(health)
Bucky diaphragm(medicine)
pelvic diaphragm(medicine)
right crus of diaphragm(medicine)
urogenital diaphragm(medicine)
Contraceptive, diaphragm(health)

diaphragm (iou)



diaphragm noun & verb. LME.
[Late Latin diaphragma from Greek, formed as DIA-1 + phragma fence.]
A. noun.
1. The muscular sheet which in mammals separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities and whose contraction leads to expansion of the lungs in respiration. LME.
2. Zoology. A septum separating successive chambers of a shell. M17.
3. Botany. A layer of cells forming a partition in plant tissue. M17.
4. An opaque disc or plate with a central hole for restricting the light entering an optical instrument; esp. one in a camera that enables the effective aperture to be varied. M17.
iris diaphragm.
5. A taut flexible membrane, esp. in various mechanical and acoustic devices. M19.
G. J. King Microphones..must have some sort of diaphragm or element which responds to the sound wave.
6. A thin bowl-shaped piece of rubber or plastic made to be inserted into the vagina and over the cervix as a contraceptive. M20.
B. verb trans. Provide (esp. a lens) with a diaphragm; subject (light) to the effect of a diaphragm. M17.
diaphragm down reduce the aperture of (a lens) with a diaphragm.
diaphragmatic adjective of or pertaining to a diaphragm, of the nature of a diaphragm M17.
diaphrag'matically adverb by means of the diaphragm or a diaphragm L19.