n. (also disk esp. US and in sense 4)
1. a a flat thin circular object. b a round flat or apparently flat surface (the sun's disc). c a mark of this shape.
2 a layer of cartilage between vertebrae.
3 a gramophone record.
4 a (usu. disk; in full magnetic disk) a computer storage device consisting of several flat circular magnetically coated plates formed into a rotatable disc. b (in full optical disc) a smooth non-magnetic disc with large storage capacity for data recorded and read by laser.
5 a device with a pointer or rotating disc indicating time of arrival or latest permitted time of departure, for display in a parked motor vehicle.
Phrases and idioms:
disc brake a brake employing the friction of pads against a disc. disk drive Computing a mechanism for rotating a disk and reading or writing data from or to it. disc harrow a harrow with cutting edges consisting of a row of concave discs set at an oblique angle. disc jockey the presenter of a selection of gramophone records of popular music, esp. in a broadcast.
Etymology: F disque or L discus: see DISCUS