An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

The first principle of → formal logic introduced in Aristotle's theory of the → syllogism: If a statement is true then it is true. Also called → law of identity.

→ principle; → identity.

The principle that, for a system whose total mechanical energy is conserved, the path to be taken for the system from one configuration to another is the one whose action has the least value relative to all other possible paths and from the same configurations. Also called Maupertuis' principle, least-action principle.

→ principle; → least; → action.

The third principle of → formal logic introduced in Aristotle's theory of the → syllogism: No statement can be both → true and → false at the same time. Also called → law of non-contradiction.

→ principle; → non-; → contradiction.

One consequence of the theory of → special relativity, according to which no two events separated by a distance greater than their separation in time multiplied by the → speed of light may have a → causal influence on each other. Violation of this principle leads to → paradoxes, such as that of an → effect preceding its → cause.

→ principle; → relativistic; → causality.

The first postulate in Einstein's theory of → special relativity whereby all the laws of physics are the same in every → inertial reference frame. In other words, no physical measurement can distinguish one inertial reference frame from another. See also → principle of constancy.

→ principle; → relativity.

1a) The state of being printed.
1b) Printed lettering, especially with reference to character, style, or size.
1c) Printed material; a printed publication, as a newspaper or magazine.
2a) To produce (a text, picture, etc.) by applying inked types, plates, blocks, or the like, to paper or other material either by direct pressure or indirectly by offsetting an image onto an intermediate roller.
2b) To reproduce (a design or pattern) by engraving on a plate or block.
2c) To form a design or pattern upon, as by stamping with an engraved plate or block.
2d) To cause (a manuscript, text, etc.) to be published in print (Dictionary.com).

M.E. prent(e), print(e), prient(e), from OF priente "impression," noun use of feminine p.p. of preindre "to press," from L. premere "to press, hold fast."

Câp "press," loan from Indo-Aryan languages chapa, chháp, chāp "seal, stamp, impression."

1) A person or thing that prints, especially a person whose occupation is printing.
2) Computers: An output device that produces a paper copy of alphanumeric or graphic data (Dictionary.com).

→ print; → -er.

A font used for printing. See also → screen font.

→ printer; → font.

1) Preceding in time or in order; earlier or former; previous.
2) Preceding in importance or privilege.

O.E., from M.L. prior "former, previous, first, superior," comparative of O.L. pri "before," from PIE *prai-, *prei-, from root *per- "forward, through," → pro-.

Parin, from pra-, fra- "before, forward, forth," cognate with Gk. and L. → pro-.

The condition or quality of being earlier in time or occurrence, or being regarded as more important.

→ prior; → -ity.

Optics: A transparent solid body, having at least two polished plane faces inclined relative to each other, from which light is reflected or through which light is refracted.
Geometry: A solid having two faces lying in parallel planes and with the other faces parallelograms.

L.L. prisma, from Gk. prisma, literally "something sawed," from prizein "to saw."

Manšur, etymology not clear, may be related to Ar. mawšur "prism," of unknown origin.

The angle between the faces on which light is incident and from which it emerges.

→ prism; → angle.

An optical device consisting of a pair of small telescopes mounted side by side, each telescope having two prisms between the eyepiece and objective for erecting the image.

→ prism; → binoculars.

An ocular equipped with a prism that forms an upright image in an astronomical telescope.

→ prism; → ocular.

An instrument used to determine the precise timing of a star's passage across a vertical circle. It is used for making precise determinations of the positions of stars and planets, and can be used inversely to determine the latitude and longitude of the observer, assuming the star positions are accurately known. It consists of an accurate prism, a small pool of mercury to serve as an artificial horizon. The most notable example of this type of instrument is that of → Danjon astrolabe.

Adj. of → prism + → astrolabe.

The spectrum formed by a dispersing prism or a dispersing prism system.

Adj. of → prism + → spectrum.

The state of being private.

Noun from → private.

Pertaining to or affecting a particular person or a small group of persons; individual; → personal (Dictionary.com).

L. privatus "set apart, peculiar, personal," used in contrast to publicus, p.p. of privare "to separate, deprive, to rob" from privus "one's own, individual."

Vâvan, literally "separated, not bound," from vâ- separation prefix, → de-, + van, contraction of vand, band, from vastan, bastan "to bind, fasten, close," → band.

The transfer from public to private ownership.

→ private; → -tion.

To transfer from public to private ownership and control.

→ private; → -ize.