cylinder

noun

cyl·​in·​der ˈsi-lən-dər How to pronounce cylinder (audio)
1
a
: the surface traced by a straight line moving parallel to a fixed straight line and intersecting a fixed planar closed curve
b
: a solid or surface bounded by a cylinder and two parallel planes cutting all its elements
2
: a cylindrical body or space: such as
a
: the turning chambered breech of a revolver
b(1)
: the piston chamber in an engine
(2)
: a chamber in a pump from which the piston expels the fluid
c
: any of various rotating members in a press (such as a printing press)
especially : one that impresses paper on an inked form
d
: a cylindrical clay object inscribed with cuneiform inscriptions
cylindered adjective
Phrases
on all cylinders
: with maximum effort or intensity : at full capacity or speed
the economy is running on all cylinders

Examples of cylinder in a Sentence

the cylinder of a revolver
Recent Examples on the Web Unable to breathe on his own, he was placed in an iron lung, a large metal cylinder that varies air pressure to stimulate breathing. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 Whole neighborhoods were devastated in the northeastern part of the city, where gas cylinders were turned into makeshift bombs and tossed into mosques. Sameer Yasir, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2024 As the swing shift gets underway, Emmett Jaime pries inked plates off cylinders. Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 But the museum’s main attraction rests prominently along the back wall behind an enclosure of wood and glass: a shiny silver dewar, an upright cylinder measuring roughly 3 feet wide by 10 feet tall. Heather Mundt, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024 The indictment alleges that Hart smuggled cylinders of regulated refrigerants into the U.S. on at least five occasions — once in July 2022 and four times in October of that year. Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2024 Formally called a Nova-C, the lander is a hexagonal cylinder with six legs that the space company has operated from a mission control center in Houston. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024 My brain fires on many different cylinders throughout the week, but the most enjoyable piece of my work is surrendering to a force bigger than myself. Noël Burgess, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 In his hand was a small cylinder wrapped in brown paper. Thomas Korsgaard, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cylinder.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Latin; Middle French cylindre, from Latin cylindrus, from Greek kylindros, from kylindein to roll; perhaps akin to Greek kyklos wheel — more at wheel

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cylinder was in 1570

Dictionary Entries Near cylinder

Cite this Entry

“Cylinder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cylinder. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cylinder

noun
cyl·​in·​der ˈsil-ən-dər How to pronounce cylinder (audio)
1
: a geometric shape composed of two parallel faces of identical size and shape (as circles) and a curved surface that completely connects their borders
2
: a body (as the piston chamber of an engine, the barrel of a pump, or the part of a revolver which holds the cartridges) shaped like a cylinder
cylindrical
sə-ˈlin-dri-kəl
adjective
cylindrically
-dri-k(ə-)lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on cylinder

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