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disc

n. · v.
US //ˈdɪsk// UK //dˈɪsk// disc
  1. 1 flat circular object (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a thin, flat, and round object.

    a thin, flat, circular plate or similar geometric object.

    Example

    The sun looked like a glowing orange disc as it sank below the horizon.

    Example

    The ancient artifact was a small bronze disc engraved with symbols that scholars believe represent the lunar cycle.
  2. 2 anatomy (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Medicine

    one of the flat pieces of cartilage between the bones in your back.

    a layer of cartilage between the vertebrae in the spine that acts as a shock absorber.

    Example

    He had to stay in bed for a week after slipping a disc while lifting heavy boxes.

    Example

    The patient complained of acute lower back pain resulting from a herniated disc that was pressing against a nerve.
    • intervertebral disc
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  1. 3 music/media (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a flat, round object used to store music, films, or computer data.

    a circular medium for the storage of digital or analogue information, such as a CD, DVD, or vinyl record.

    Example

    She still has a large collection of old vinyl discs from the 1970s.

    Example

    The software is distributed on an optical disc, though most users now prefer to download the installer directly from the cloud.
  2. 4 flying toy (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Sport

    a plastic toy that you throw through the air for sport or fun.

    a generic term for a flying disc used in recreational throwing or competitive sports.

    Example

    We spent the afternoon at the park throwing a plastic disc for the dog to catch.

    Example

    The ultimate frisbee team practiced their long-range disc tosses despite the challenging wind conditions at the stadium.
    • frisbee
  3. 5 farming (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Agriculture

    to break up soil on a farm using a machine with sharp round plates.

    to use a disc harrow to break up clods of earth and prepare a field for planting.

    Example

    The farmer needs to disc the field before he can plant the corn.

    Example

    After the initial plowing, the tractor was used to disc the soil to a finer consistency suitable for the delicate vegetable seeds.

    Usage

    The verb is transitive and takes the field or soil as its object.
Origin

From French disque, from Latin discus, from Ancient Greek δίσκος (dískos, “disk, quoit, platter”). Doublet of dais, desk, discus, dish, disk, and diskos.

Word family

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