pantograph

English

A pantograph for drawing

A pantograph mirror

An original-style diamond rail pantograph

Alternative forms

pentegraph (archaic)

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

(UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpantəɡɹɑːf/, /ˈpantəɡɹaf/

Noun

pantograph (plural pantographs)

A mechanical linkage based on parallelograms causing two objects to move in parallel; notably as a drawing aid.
Synonyms: lazy tongs, omnigraph

A pantograph can be adjusted to make either scaled or exact copies.
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.
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.
(rail transport) A similarly-formed conductive device, now usually Z-shaped, that collects electric current from overhead lines for trains and trams.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

mechanical drawing aid

Albanian: pantográf m
Catalan: pantògraf (ca) m
Czech: pantograf (cs) m
Dutch: pantograaf (nl), tekenaap (nl) m
Finnish: pantografi, suhdepiirrin
French: pantographe (fr) m
Italian: pantografo (it) m
Russian: панто́граф (ru) m (pantógraf)
Spanish: pantógrafo (es) m

accordion-like extendable structure

Finnish: haitari (fi)

pattern to hamper photocopying

rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines

Albanian: pantográf m
Catalan: pantògraf (ca) m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 集電弓／集电弓 (zh) (jídiàngōng), 受電弓／受电弓 (zh) (shòudiàngōng)
Czech: pantograf (cs) m
Danish: strømaftager
Dutch: (tram)beugel, stroomafnemer
Finnish: saksivirroitin
French: pantographe (fr) m
German: Stromabnehmer (de) m, Pantograf
Italian: pantografo (it) m
Japanese: パンタグラフ (pantagurafu)
Korean: 집전장치(集電裝置) (jipjeonjangchi)
Norwegian: strømavtaker (Bokmål)
- straumavtakar (Nynorsk)
Polish: pantograf (pl) m
Russian: панто́граф (ru) m (pantógraf), токоприёмник (ru) m (tokoprijómnik)
Spanish: pantógrafo (es) m
Swedish: strömavtagare (sv), pantograf
Turkish: pantograf (tr)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Albanian: pantográf m
Esperanto: ^{(please verify)} pantografo
French: ^{(please verify)} pantographe (fr) m
Norwegian: ^{(please verify)} pantograf

A modern Z-shaped rail pantograph

Verb

pantograph (third-person singular simple present pantographs, present participle pantographing, simple past and past participle pantographed)

To engrave by means of a pantograph (parallel linkage) system.