A measuring instrument with two legs or arms that can be adjusted to measure the diameter or thickness of objects, often used in engineering and science.
Possibly from French calibre (bore of a cannon), from Arabic qâlib (mold, form). The tool was developed for measuring cannons and became essential for any precision work. Also spelled callipers in British English.
Calipers might be the perfect tool—they're simple enough that a child can use them, yet precise enough that engineers trust them for critical measurements. That's rarity in technology.
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