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

A device with a restricted aperture, located in an optical system at any of several points, that cuts off marginal light rays not essential to image formation.

From L.L. diaphragma, from Gk. diaphragma "partition, barrier," from diaphrassein "to barricade," from dia- "across" + phrassein "to fence or hedge in."

Miyânban, from miyân "middle, interior, between" (Mid.Pers. miyân "middle," Av. maiδya-, maiδyāna- "medium, middle," cf. Skt. mádhya- "middle, intemediate," Gk. mesos "middle," L. medius "middle," Goth. midjis, O.E. midd "middle," O.C.S. medzu "between," Arm. mej "middle," PIE *medhyo- "middle," , from base *me- "between") + band "barrier, shutter," from bastan "to bind, shut" (Mid.Pers. bastan/vastan "to bind, shut," Av./O.Pers. band- "to bind, fetter," banda- "band, tie," cf. Skt. bandh- "to bind, tie, fasten," PIE *bhendh- "to bind").

A mechanical device, consisting of thin overlapping plates, designed to smoothly vary the effective diameter of a lens, thereby controlling the amount of light allowed through.

→ iris; → diaphragm.