di·a·phragm (d   -fr m )n. 1. Anatomy A muscular membranous partition separating the abdominal and thoracic cavities and functioning in respiration. Also called midriff. 2. A membranous part that divides or separates. 3. A thin disk, especially in a microphone or telephone receiver, that vibrates in response to sound waves to produce electric signals, or that vibrates in response to electric signals to produce sound waves. 4. A contraceptive device consisting of a thin flexible disk, usually made of rubber, that is designed to cover the uterine cervix to prevent the entry of sperm during sexual intercourse. 5. A disk having a fixed or variable opening used to restrict the amount of light traversing a lens or optical system. [Middle English diafragma, from Late Latin diaphragma, midriff, from Greek, partition, from diaphrassein, to barricade : dia-, intensive pref.; see dia- + phrassein, phrag-, to enclose.] di a·phrag·matic (-frg-mt k) adj.di a·phrag·mati·cal·ly adv. |
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