napier's bones Meaning, Definition & Usage
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noun a set of graduated rods formerly used to do multiplication and division by a method invented by John Napier
Napier's rods.
WordNet
Na"pi*er's bones`, Na"pi*er's rods`
(Also<
- Napier's bones
- Napier's rods
)
Definitions
A set of rods, made of bone or other material, each divided into nine spaces, and containing the numbers of a column of the multiplication table; -- a contrivance of Baron Napier, the inventor of logarithms, for facilitating the operations of multiplication and division.
