Standard Lemma guide

pantograph

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈpantəɡɹɑːf/
  • UK: /ˈpantəɡɹaf/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A mechanical linkage based on parallelograms causing two objects to move in parallel; notably as a drawing aid.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • A pantograph can be adjusted to make either scaled or exact copies.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lazy tongs, omnigraph

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

By extension, a structure of crosswise bars linked in such a way that it can extend and compress like an accordion, such as in a pantograph mirror or a scissor lift.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A pattern printed on a document to reduce the ease of photocopying.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I was impressed by the quality of the pantograph; I hadn't noticed it on the original, but the copies were covered in unpleasant lines.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A similarly-formed conductive device, now usually Z-shaped, that collects electric current from overhead lines for trains and trams.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: rail-transport, railways, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To engrave by means of a pantograph (parallel linkage) system.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

mechanical device used to copy a figure or plan on a different scale

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: mechanical device

History

Etymology

From French pantographe, from panto- (from Ancient Greek παντός (pantós), genitive singular of πᾶν (pân, “all”)), and -graphe (from γράφειν (gráphein, “to write”)).

Across languages

Translations

49 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: pantográf — mechanical drawing aid
  • Arabic: مِنْسَاخ (minsāḵ) — mechanical drawing aid
  • Catalan: pantògraf — mechanical drawing aid
  • Czech: pantograf — mechanical drawing aid
  • Dutch: pantograaf — mechanical drawing aid
  • Dutch: tekenaap — mechanical drawing aid
  • Finnish: pantografi — mechanical drawing aid
  • Finnish: suhdepiirrin — mechanical drawing aid
  • French: pantographe — mechanical drawing aid
  • Hungarian: pantográf — mechanical drawing aid
  • Hungarian: rajzmásoló — mechanical drawing aid
  • Hungarian: rajzmásolat-készítő — mechanical drawing aid
  • Italian: pantografo — mechanical drawing aid
  • Polish: pantograf — mechanical drawing aid
  • Russian: панто́граф (pantógraf) — mechanical drawing aid
  • Spanish: pantógrafo — mechanical drawing aid
  • Turkish: pantograf — mechanical drawing aid
  • Turkish: leylekgagası — mechanical drawing aid
  • Finnish: haitari — accordion-like extendable structure
  • Polish: pantograf — accordion-like extendable structure
  • Polish: pantograf — pattern to hamper photocopying
  • Albanian: pantográf — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Arabic: سَنْجَة تَوْصِيل — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Catalan: pantògraf — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Chinese Mandarin: 集電弓 /集电弓 (jídiàngōng) — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Chinese Mandarin: 受電弓 /受电弓 (shòudiàngōng) — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Czech: pantograf — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Danish: strømaftager — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Dutch: (tram)beugel — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Dutch: stroomafnemer — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Dutch: pantograaf — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Finnish: saksivirroitin — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • French: pantographe — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • German: Stromabnehmer — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • German: Pantograf — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Hungarian: áramszedő — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Indonesian: pantograf — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Italian: pantografo — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Japanese: パンタグラフ (pantagurafu) — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Korean: 집전장치 (jipjeonjangchi) — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Norwegian Bokmål: strømavtaker — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: straumavtakar — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Polish: pantograf — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Russian: панто́граф (pantógraf) — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Russian: токоприёмник (tokoprijómnik) — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Spanish: pantógrafo — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Swedish: strömavtagare — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Swedish: pantograf — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
  • Turkish: pantograf — rail transport: device that collects electric current from overhead lines
Real reading context

pantograph in complete knowledge articles