vernier caliper

noun

1. a caliper formed of two pieces sliding across one another, one having a graduated scale and the other a vernier.

vernier caliper

/ vûr′nē-ər /

1. A measuring instrument consisting of an L-shaped frame with a linear scale along its longer arm and an L-shaped sliding attachment with a vernier scale, used to read directly the dimension of an object represented by the separation between the inner or outer edges of the two shorter arms.

Word History and Origins

Origin of vernier caliper¹

First recorded in 1875–80