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pantograph.

A mechanical linkage based on parallelograms causing two objects to move in parallel; notably as a drawing aid.

10 characters3 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/ˈpantəɡɹɑːf/UK/ˈpantəɡɹaf/UK
  1. A mechanical linkage based on parallelograms causing two objects to move in parallel; notably as a drawing aid.

    A pantograph can be adjusted to make either scaled or exact copies.
  2. By extension, a structure of crosswise bars linked in such a way that it can extend and compress like an accordion, such as in a pantograph mirror or a scissor lift.

  3. A pattern printed on a document to reduce the ease of photocopying.

    I was impressed by the quality of the pantograph; I hadn't noticed it on the original, but the copies were covered in unpleasant lines.
  4. A similarly-formed conductive device, now usually Z-shaped, that collects electric current from overhead lines for trains and trams.

Where this word comes from

From French pantographe, from panto- (from Ancient Greek παντός (pantós), genitive singular of πᾶν (pân, “all”)), and -graphe (from γράφειν (gráphein, “to write”)).

verb/ˈpantəɡɹɑːf/UK/ˈpantəɡɹaf/UK
  1. To engrave by means of a pantograph (parallel linkage) system.

Where this word comes from

From French pantographe, from panto- (from Ancient Greek παντός (pantós), genitive singular of πᾶν (pân, “all”)), and -graphe (from γράφειν (gráphein, “to write”)).

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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.