diaphragm.
In mammals, a sheet of muscle separating the thorax from the abdomen, contracted and relaxed in respiration to draw air into and expel air from the lungs.
Meaning & usage
In mammals, a sheet of muscle separating the thorax from the abdomen, contracted and relaxed in respiration to draw air into and expel air from the lungs.
thoracic diaphragm
pulmonary diaphragm
Any of various membranes or sheets of muscle or ligament which separate one cavity from another.
A contraceptive device consisting of a flexible cup, used to cover the cervix during intercourse.
cervical diaphragm
contraceptive diaphragm
A flexible membrane separating two chambers and fixed around its periphery that distends into one or other chamber as the difference in the pressure in the chambers varies.
In a speaker, the thin, semi-rigid membrane which vibrates to produce sound.
acoustic diaphragm
A thin opaque structure with a central aperture, used to limit the passage of light into a camera or similar device.
A permeable or semipermeable membrane.
A floor slab, metal wall panel, roof panel or the like, having a sufficiently large in-plane shear stiffness and sufficient strength to transmit horizontal forces to resisting systems.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English diafragma, Ancient Greek διάφραγμα (diáphragma, “partition”), from διά (diá, “across”) and φράγμα (phrágma, “barrier”), from the verb φράσσω (phrássō). First attested in the late 14th century.
To reduce lens aperture using an optical diaphragm.
To act as a diaphragm, for example by vibrating.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English diafragma, Ancient Greek διάφραγμα (diáphragma, “partition”), from διά (diá, “across”) and φράγμα (phrágma, “barrier”), from the verb φράσσω (phrássō). First attested in the late 14th century.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.