Illustration of caliper
- caliper 1a
cal·i·per
ˈka-lə-pər 
1
a
: any of various measuring instruments having two usually adjustable arms, legs, or jaws used especially to measure diameter or thickness
—usually used in plural
a pair of calipers
b
: a device for pressing a frictional material (such as a brake pad) against the sides of a rotating wheel or disc
2
: thickness especially of paper, cardboard, or a tree
Examples of caliper in a Sentence
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Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 July 2025
There's even an eight-piston Bugatti Bolide caliper, designed not for racing but for performance and safety.
—Kristin Shaw, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2025
Tony Markovich, Car and Driver, 12 Jan. 2018
See All Example Sentences for caliper
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Noun
Then, the scientists used plastic calipers to stroke both at the same time for roughly eight seconds.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 July 2025
There's even an eight-piston Bugatti Bolide caliper, designed not for racing but for performance and safety.
—Kristin Shaw, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2025
Verb
Standard Tornado Red calipers signal to the 99.999999 percent that this is indeed the V-8 trim.
—Tony Markovich, Car and Driver, 12 Jan. 2018
See All Example Sentences for caliper
Cite this Entry
“Caliper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caliper. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
caliper
1 of 2 noun
cal·i·per
variants
or chiefly British calliper
1
: any of various measuring instruments having two usually adjustable arms, legs, or jaws used to measure thickness, diameter, and distance between surfaces
—usually used in plural
a pair of calipers
2
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