Chord – a straight line drawn from one point on the edge of a circle to another

(pronounced kord)

To remember the meaning of chord, use the following mnemonic:

A cord (chord) of rope was thrown across a circle and pulled tight.

A chord is a straight line segment whose endpoints both lie on a curve, most commonly a circle. For a circle, the chord connects any two points on the circumference, creating a straight line that cuts through the interior of the circle.

The diameter of a circle is actually the longest possible chord because it passes through the centre of a circle. The radius of a circle is exactly half of the diameter, but it is not a chord as it does not connect to two points along the circumference.

Any chord other than a diameter creates both a minor and major segment.