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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Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Michelin Road 5 tires come along with those Diablo Red rollers, with the twin Nissin two-piston front calipers coupled to 310-mm discs that provide progressive, smooth stopping.
—New Atlas, 17 May 2025
Tony Markovich, Car and Driver, 12 Jan. 2018
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Noun
Porsche fits 6-piston calipers to 14.8-inch front rotors (complemented with 4-piston calipers on the rear), but traditional hydraulic brakes are only part of the equation.
—Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Michelin Road 5 tires come along with those Diablo Red rollers, with the twin Nissin two-piston front calipers coupled to 310-mm discs that provide progressive, smooth stopping.
—New Atlas, 17 May 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 1 Jun. 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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