Parallax Definition

părə-lăks
parallaxes
noun
The apparent change in the position of an object resulting from the change in the direction or position from which it is viewed.
Webster's New World
The amount of angular degree of such change: the parallax of an object may be used in determining its distance from the observer because smaller angles indicate greater distance.
Webster's New World
The apparent difference in the position of a celestial object with reference to a fixed background when viewed from two distant locations having a triangulated base line equal to the radius of the earth (diurnal parallax or geocentric parallax) or equal to the radius of the earth's orbit (annual parallax or heliocentric parallax)
Webster's New World
The difference between the actual view covered by a camera lens and the apparent view seen through the viewfinder: this may be significant when the object is close to the camera.
Webster's New World
The angle of seeing of the astronomical unit.
Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Parallax

Noun

Singular:
parallax
Plural:
parallaxes

Origin of Parallax

  • French parallaxe from Greek parallaxis from parallassein to change para- among para–1 allassein to exchange (from allos other al-1 in Indo-European roots)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Ancient Greek παράλλαξις (parallaksis, “alteration").

    From Wiktionary

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