DAISY WHEEL Meaning and
Definition
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A daisy wheel is a mechanical printing device that was commonly used in typewriters during the late 20th century. It consists of a circular metal or plastic disk containing a set of alphanumeric characters arranged in a petal-like configuration, resembling the shape of a daisy. Each character is positioned radially and has a corresponding print hammer or armature located behind it. The daisy wheel is mounted on a spindle and can rotate freely.
When a keystroke is pressed on a typewriter with a daisy wheel mechanism, the desired character is selected by rotating the disk until the required petal aligns with the print position. As the print mechanism is triggered, the chosen petal strikes a cloth or inked ribbon, transferring the impression onto the paper. The print operator can easily change the daisy wheel to accommodate different typefaces or characters by replacing the entire wheel with a different one.
Daisy wheels revolutionized typewriter printing by providing a more precise and consistent output compared to previous mechanisms, such as typebars. They enabled typists to produce high-quality text with greater ease and accuracy. However, daisy wheel technology was eventually surpassed by electronic printers and personal computers, rendering the mechanism obsolete. Although no longer widely utilized, the term "daisy wheel" is still commonly used to refer to the specific printing mechanism and its associated printing technology.
Common Misspellings for DAISY WHEEL
- saisy wheel
- xaisy wheel
- caisy wheel
- faisy wheel
- raisy wheel
- eaisy wheel
- dzisy wheel
- dsisy wheel
- dwisy wheel
- dqisy wheel
- dausy wheel
- dajsy wheel
- daksy wheel
- daosy wheel
- da9sy wheel
- da8sy wheel
- daiay wheel
- daizy wheel
- daixy wheel
- daisy wneel
Etymology of DAISY WHEEL
The term "daisy wheel" originated from the combination of two separate words: "daisy" and "wheel".
The word "daisy" is derived from the Old English word "dæges ēage", which translates to "day's eye". This is because the daisy flower opens during the day and closes at night, resembling an eye. Over time, "dæges ēage" evolved into "daisy" in Middle English.
The word "wheel" comes from the Old English word "hweol". This term referred to a circular object that rotates or revolves. It eventually morphed into "wheel" in Middle English.
When combined, "daisy wheel" refers to a circular device with character impressions resembling the petals of a daisy flower. This term is commonly associated with early printer technology, specifically with a specific type of printing mechanism used in dot matrix printers.
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