Torricelli

[ tawr-i-chel-ee; Italian tawr-ree-chel-lee ]

noun

1. E·van·ge·lis·ta [e-vahn-je-, lee, -stah], 1608–47, Italian physicist.

Torricelli

/ ˌtɒrɪˈtʃɛlɪ /

noun

1. TorricelliEvangelista16081647MItalianSCIENCE: physicistSCIENCE: mathematician Evangelista (evandʒeˈlista). 1608–47, Italian physicist and mathematician, who discovered the principle of the barometer

Torricelli

/ tō′rə-chĕl′ē /

1. Italian mathematician and physicist noted for discovering that the atmosphere exerts pressure. He demonstrated that this pressure affected the level of mercury in a tube, thereby inventing the mercury barometer (1643).

Other Words From

• Torri·celli·an adjective

Example Sentences

“I understand personal loyalty and I understand the depths of friendship, but somebody needs to take a stand here,” former New Jersey Democratic Sen. Robert Torricelli told the New York Times.

From Los Angeles Times

In 2002 Democratic New Jersey Sen. Robert Torricelli abruptly ended his reelection campaign after being “severely admonished” by the Senate for accepting money and gifts from a donor who later went to prison for campaign finance violations.

From Slate

Mr. Brand cited the “Abscam” bribery case of the 1970s, when the defendants accused President Jimmy Carter of orchestrating the bribery sting, or the investigation of Senator Robert G. Torricelli, which was also surrounded by charges of politics.

From New York Times

In 1643, Torricelli took a long tube that was closed at one end and filled it with mercury.

From Literature

Now, if Torricelli had upended the tube in air, everyone would expect the mercury to run out, because it would quickly be replaced by air; no vacuum would be created.

From Literature