Disk
Pronunciation
- enPR: dÄsk, IPA: /dɪsk/
Origin
From Ancient Greek δίσκος (diskos, "a circular plate suited for hurling"), from δικείν (dikein, "to hurl, to launch").
Full definition of disk
Noun
disk
(plural disks)- A thin, flat, circular plate or similar object.A coin is a disk of metal.
- (figuratively) Something resembling a disk.Venus' disk cut off light from the Sun.
- (dated) A vinyl phonograph/gramophone record.Turn the disk over, after it has finished.
- (computing) A floppy disk - removable magnetic medium or a hard disk - fixed, persistent digital storage.He still uses floppy disks from 1979.
- (computing, nonstandard) A disc - either a CD-ROM, an audio CD, a DVD or similar removable storage medium.She burned some disks yesterday to back up her computer.
- (agriculture) A harrow.
- (botany) A ring- or cup-shaped enlargement of the flower receptacle or ovary that bears nectar or, less commonly, the stamens.
Usage notes
In International English, disk is the correct spelling for magnetic disks. If the medium is optical, the variant disc is usually preferred, although computing is a peculiar field for the term. For instance hard disk and other disk drives are always thus spelled, yet so are terms like compact discs. Thus, if referring to a physical drive or older media (3" or 5.25" diskettes) the k is used, but c is used for newer (optical based) media.
Less commonly, in British English, disc has been used for magnetic disks, as in floppy disc and discette.
Verb
- (agriculture) to harrow
- 1916, Various, Trees, Fruits and Flowers of Minnesota, 1916 Chapter , That is alkali. Mr. Kochendorfer: I have a ten-year apple orchard that I disked last year and kept it tolerably clean this spring.
- 1948, Various, Northern Nut Growers Association Incorporated 39th Annual Report Chapter , The next year I plowed and disked the patch of ground and planted potatoes.
- 1991, September 6, Jerry Sullivan, Field & Street, The soil is plowed and disked and then seeded with a mixture of prairie plants.