noun
- Plural of alidad; a surveying instrument consisting of a ruler with sights or a telescope, used to measure angles and distances on a map or in the field.
Usage: technical; surveying
Examples
- The surveyor used alidads to map the boundaries of the property.
- Alidads are essential tools in traditional surveying and cartography.
- The engineer calibrated the alidads before beginning the field measurements.
- Modern surveying has largely replaced mechanical alidads with digital instruments.