Showing results for "disk"

• a variation of disc.

disk

American  

[disk] / dɪsk /

Also disc

noun

• disks
  plural

1. any thin, flat, circular plate or object.

2. any surface that is flat and round, or seemingly so.

   the disk of the sun.

3. disc.

4. Computers. any of several types of media consisting of thin, round plates of plastic or metal, used for external storage.

   magnetic disk;

   hard disk;

   optical disk.

5. Botany, Zoology. any of various roundish, flat structures or parts.

6. intervertebral disk.

7. Botany. (in the daisy and other composite plants) the central portion of the flower head, composed of tubular florets.

8. any of the circular steel blades that form the working part of a disk harrow.

9. Mathematics. the domain bounded by a circle.

10. Archaic. discus.

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verb (used with object)

1. Informal. disc.

2. to cultivate (soil) with a disk harrow.

disk British  

/ dɪsk /

noun

1. a variant spelling (esp US and Canadian) of disc

2. Also called: magnetic disk, hard disk. computing a direct-access storage device consisting of a stack of plates coated with a magnetic layer, the whole assembly rotating rapidly as a single unit. Each surface has a read-write head that can move radially to read or write data on concentric tracks Compare drum 1 See also floppy disk

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disk Scientific  

/ dĭsk /

1. 1. See magnetic disk

   2. See optical disk

2. See intervertebral disk

3. The round, flat center, consisting of many disk flowers, found in the inflorescences of many composite plants such as the daisy.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• disklike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• disks
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of disk

First recorded in 1655–65; from Latin discus discus; cf. dish

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Explanation

A disk is a round, flat circle. The face of the clock on your kitchen wall is a disk. Disk, also spelled disc, refers to anything with a circular flat shape, like a Frisbee, a penny, or a dinner plate. In computing, a disk is a device that stores data, and in the audio/video world, a disk can be a musical compact disk, or a DVD, a digital video disk. A disk jockey is someone who plays music, either on LPs or CDs, on the radio. The Greek root, diskos, means "platter."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

disk disks

This boundary marks the region in the disk surrounding the young Sun where temperatures were low enough for water vapor to freeze into ice.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026

Because these tiny particles could circulate and mix efficiently throughout the disk, they preserved a chemical composition that closely resembles the overall elemental mixture found in the Sun.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026

When illuminated, the muscle tissue contracted in different directions, causing the disk to stretch and compress.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026

The company, which makes hard disk drives that are used in computers and artificial-intelligence data centers, on Thursday reported a profit of $1.78 billion, or $4.63 a share.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

Peeta pulls the chain with the gold disk from around his neck.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

Unlike hard drives containing spinning disks that can break, flash is a chip with no moving parts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

All three are actively accumulating matter, which spirals toward them through surrounding disks of gas and other material.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026

Theoretical models suggest extreme debris disks should be relatively common, but observations tell a different story.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026

The distinction may also help explain why some of the disks fluctuate more dramatically in infrared brightness.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026

There, the last gear turned a series of brass disks with precisely cut edges.

From "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick

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Related Words

• disc
• plate
• platter

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