kaleidoscope

kaleidoscope
kaleidoscope 1817, lit. "observer of beautiful forms," coined by its inventor, Scottish scientist David Brewster (1781-1868), from Gk. kalos "beautiful" + eidos "shape" (see -OID (Cf. -oid)) + -SCOPE (Cf. -scope), on model of TELESCOPE (Cf. telescope), etc. They sold by the thousands in the few years after their invention, but Brewster failed to secure a patent. Figurative meaning "constantly changing pattern" is first attested 1819 in Lord Byron, whose publisher had sent him one. As a verb, from 1891. A kaleidophone (1827) was invented by English physicist Sir Charles Wheatstone (1802-1875) to make sound waves visible.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Kaleidoscope — студийный альбом Siouxsie and the Banshees Дата выпуска 1 августа 1980 Жанр …   Википедия

  • Kaleidoscope — (englisch für Kaleidoskop) ist: Kaleidoscope (US Band), eine US amerikanische Rockband der 1960er Jahre Kaleidoscope (Britische Band), eine britische Rockband der 1960er Jahre Kaleidoscope (Album), ein Album der US amerikanischen R B Sängerin… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Kaleidoscope — Ka*lei do*scope, n. [Gr. ? beautiful + e i^dos form + scope.] An instrument invented by Sir David Brewster, which contains loose fragments of colored glass, etc., and reflecting surfaces so arranged that changes of position exhibit its contents… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • kaléidoscope — KALÉIDOSCOPE: Ne s emploie qu à propos des salons de peinture …   Dictionnaire des idées reçues

  • kaleidoscope — ► NOUN 1) a toy consisting of a tube containing mirrors and pieces of coloured glass or paper, whose reflections produce changing patterns when the tube is rotated. 2) a constantly changing pattern or sequence. DERIVATIVES kaleidoscopic adjective …   English terms dictionary

  • kaleidoscope — [kə lī′də skōp΄] n. [< Gr kalos, beautiful + eidos, form (see OID) + SCOPE] 1. a tubular instrument containing loose bits of colored glass, plastic, etc. reflected by mirrors so that various symmetrical patterns appear when the tube is held to …   English World dictionary

  • Kaléidoscope — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Kaléidoscope (homonymie). Vue à travers un kaléidoscope. Le kaléidoscope est un tube de miroirs réfléchissant à l infini et en …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Kaleidoscope — A kaleidoscope is a tube of mirrors containing loose colored beads, pebbles or other small colored objects. The viewer looks in one end and light enters the other end, reflecting off the mirrors. Typically there are two rectangular lengthwise… …   Wikipedia

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