diaphragm

C1 Topic:The Human Body

US /ˈdaɪəˌfɹæm/ UK /ˈdaɪəfɹæm/ See IPA manual

Freq #19661

Meanings

1

noun
the sheet of muscle below the lungs that contracts and relaxes during breathing

A deep breath makes the diaphragm contract and move downward.
2

noun
a flexible contraceptive cup placed over the cervix

She asked the clinician how to fit and use a diaphragm correctly.
3

noun
a flexible membrane in a machine or speaker that responds to pressure or vibration

Sound is produced when the loudspeaker's diaphragm vibrates.
4

noun
an adjustable opening that controls how much light enters a camera or optical instrument

Closing the lens diaphragm reduced the amount of light reaching the sensor.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a flexible contraceptive... contraceptive diaphragm

3 noun · a flexible membrane in a... membrane

4 noun · an adjustable opening that... aperture iris

Word family

Derived forms diaphragmaticdiaphragmalhemidiaphragm

Related forms thorax abdomen respirationpessary

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

iris diaphragm
an adjustable opening formed by overlapping plates in an optical instrument

Noun + noun

Simplified etymology

Diaphragm, recorded in late Middle English, contains Greek dia-, “through” or “across.” It denotes a barrier and is literally a “fence through.”

Etymology

From Middle English diafragma, from Ancient Greek diaphragma ("partition, barrier"), from dia- ("across") + phragma ("fence, barrier"), related to phrassein ("to fence in"). The anatomical, mechanical, optical, and contraceptive senses all preserve the idea of a separating membrane or partition.

Topics

The Human Body

External links

# diaphragm

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈdaɪəˌfɹæm/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈdaɪəfɹæm/
**Frequency rank:** 19661

## Meanings
1. the sheet of muscle below the lungs that contracts and relaxes during breathing
2. a flexible contraceptive cup placed over the cervix
3. a flexible membrane in a machine or speaker that responds to pressure or vibration
4. an adjustable opening that controls how much light enters a camera or optical instrument

## Examples
- A deep breath makes the diaphragm contract and move downward.
- She asked the clinician how to fit and use a diaphragm correctly.
- Sound is produced when the loudspeaker's diaphragm vibrates.
- Closing the lens diaphragm reduced the amount of light reaching the sensor.

## Synonyms
- membrane
- aperture
- iris

## Derived Forms
- diaphragmatic
- diaphragmal
- hemidiaphragm

## Related Forms
- thorax
- abdomen
- respiration
- pessary

## Etymology
From Middle English diafragma, from Ancient Greek diaphragma ("partition, barrier"), from dia- ("across") + phragma ("fence, barrier"), related to phrassein ("to fence in"). The anatomical, mechanical, optical, and contraceptive senses all preserve the idea of a separating membrane or partition.

## Topics
- The Human Body

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