3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Diameter  \Di*am"e*ter\,  n.  [F.  diam[`e]tre,  L.  diametros  fr 
  Gr  ?;  dia`  through  +  ?  measure.  See  {Meter}.] 
  1.  (Geom.) 
  a  Any  right  line  passing  through  the  center  of  a  figure 
  or  body,  as  a  circle,  conic  section,  sphere,  cube, 
  etc.,  and  terminated  by  the  opposite  boundaries;  a 
  straight  line  which  bisects  a  system  of  parallel 
  chords  drawn  in  a  curve. 
  b  A  diametral  plane. 
 
  2.  The  length  of  a  straight  line  through  the  center  of  an 
  object  from  side  to  side  width;  thickness;  as  the 
  diameter  of  a  tree  or  rock. 
 
  Note:  In  an  elongated  object  the  diameter  is  usually  taken  at 
  right  angles  to  the  longer  axis. 
 
  3.  (Arch.)  The  distance  through  the  lower  part  of  the  shaft 
  of  a  column,  used  as  a  standard  measure  for  all  parts  of 
  the  order  See  {Module}. 
 
  {Conjugate  diameters}.  See  under  {Conjugate}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  diameter 
  n  1:  the  length  of  a  straight  line  passing  through  the  center  of 
  a  circle  and  connecting  two  points  on  the  circumference 
  [syn:  {diam}] 
  2:  a  straight  line  connecting  the  center  of  a  circle  with  two 
  points  on  its  perimeter  (or  the  center  of  a  sphere  with 
  two  points  on  its  surface) 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  diameter 
 
  The  diameter  of  a  {graph}  is  the  maximum  value  of  the  minimum 
  distance  between  any  two  nodes. 
 
 

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