vernier caliper
- noun
- /ˈvɜrnɪər ˈkælɪpər/
- Specialized
:
calibrador vernier
- For precise measurements in the lab, we rely on a vernier caliper to ensure accuracy.
- using a vernier caliper
Examples
-
The external body measurements were taken using a digital vernier caliper (0-150 mm).
Academic text (2014) -
The engineer used a vernier caliper to measure the thickness of the metal sheet accurately.
-
Penile length was measured from the lower edge of the pubic bone to the tip of the flaccid penis using Vernier calipers.
Academic text (2014) -
The carpenter checked the dimensions of the wood with a vernier caliper before cutting.
How Precise
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: a caliper (measuring instrument) that includes a vernier (a fractional-division scale) yields an instrument for precise measurements. This combination follows straightforward noun+noun compounding and parallels equivalent technical terms in other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Vernier caliper comes from the name of a French inventor, Pierre Vernier, who added a small sliding scale to a measuring tool, and caliper means the tool that holds or measures an object. The small sliding vernier lets you line up marks on the main scale to read very tiny differences, so the name now means 'a tool for very precise measurements'.