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calipers

A device used to measure dimensions, especially for small or precise measurements.

ˈkæl.ɪ.pəzCurrent184 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
2 definitions
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Seen in the wild
5 citations · last seen May 2026

Seen in the wild

Definitions

UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

A device used to measure dimensions, especially for small or precise measurements.

And simultaneously I raise my trouser cuff to reveal the leather straps and wicked steel calipers harnessing my right boot.
Origin: A corruption of caliber. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

Calipers means: A device used to measure dimensions, especially for small or precise measurements.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

calipers means: A device used to measure dimensions, especially for small or precise measurements.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.

Cluster: technology
Heard in the wild
  • “You can't do good pseudoscience without calipers!”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Great advice! I normally use engine braking in addition to my calipers :33”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “as someone who is too delusional to form coherent politics in general, this is the job for me. lemme grab my calipers”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “if they bust out the pussy calipers, leave”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Also, prayers up if they bring the calipers back.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK

(UK) A metal (orthopedic) leg support.

And simultaneously I raise my trouser cuff to reveal the leather straps and wicked steel calipers harnessing my right boot.
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For specific readers

Calipers means: A device used to measure dimensions, especially for small or precise measurements.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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UK

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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang

UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

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