Cyclograph

/ˈsaɪ.kloʊ.ɡræf/ noun

Definition

An instrument or device that records or draws circular paths or patterns, or a drawing/record made by such a device.

Etymology

From 'cyclo-' (Greek kyklos, circle) + '-graph' (Greek graphia, writing/drawing). The term was used from the 19th century onward for mechanical devices that recorded rotational motion.

Kelly Says

Before computers, a cyclograph was essentially a machine that could 'draw' perfect circles and record complex rotational patterns—engineers used them to visualize and analyze everything from machinery motion to astronomical observations.

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