Cadrans

/kə'dræns/ noun

Definition

An archaic or obsolete term for a dial, clock face, or instrument for measuring time or angles; also a quadrant.

Etymology

From Latin cadrans, derived from quadrans (quarter or quadrant). The term persisted in medieval Latin and appeared in technical astronomical texts.

Kelly Says

Before we had digital clocks, this Latin word was used for any dial or clock face—it's the ancestor of 'quadrant' and shows how timekeeping vocabulary has evolved!

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