Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In anatomy, any duct, tube, pipe, canal, or other conduit.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun the number of strokes that make up a written letter, and the direction, sequence and speed in which they are written
  • noun a subtle reduction of weight towards the middle of the stroke of the letter
  • noun medicine a duct, tube or canal in the body

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word ductus.

Examples

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • dictionary.com lists this only as an alternative for duct, but this is from a recent message on the VMS List: 'Modern forensic graphology, usually used to detect forgeries, is for the most part, dependent upon ductus; that is the direction, pressure, and order in which strokes are laid down. No two people, even when producing visually identical letters will construct those letters with exactly the same ductus.'

    The OED has 'the method of making strokes with the pen, etc.' and identifies it with its fourth definition for duct: 'A stroke drawn or traced, or the manner of tracing it (cf. L. ductus litterarum).'

    November 9, 2007