Meaning & use
decalage
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A difference or offset between two related elements, especially the difference in angle of incidence between the wings of a biplane.
See it in a sentence
Engineers adjusted the decalage to improve the biplane's stability.
The clock's decalage between the escapement and the gear train was corrected during restoration.
A note on using this word
Borrowed directly from French, where 'décalage' means 'gap' or 'shift'; it's also used in psychology (Piaget's 'horizontal décalage') to describe uneven cognitive development.
Words with a similar meaning
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Another way to use it
2. noun
In developmental psychology, the phenomenon of a child mastering one cognitive skill before a related one, despite both requiring the same underlying ability.
Piaget used decalage to explain why children grasp conservation of liquid before conservation of weight.
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