Geiger counter

noun

Gei·​ger counter ˈgī-gər- How to pronounce Geiger counter (audio)
: an instrument for detecting the presence and intensity of radiations (such as cosmic rays or particles from a radioactive substance) by means of their ionizing effect on an enclosed gas which results in a pulse that is amplified and fed to a device giving a visible or audible indication

Examples of Geiger counter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The answer could be the equivalent of prewar steel in a Geiger counter: data known to be free (or perhaps as free as possible) from generative AI’s touch. Rahul Rao, Scientific American, 28 July 2023 The one that most people are familiar with—mostly from movies—is the Geiger counter, which is also known as the Geiger-Muller counter. WIRED, 8 Sep. 2023 There were visible-light cameras, ultrasensitive microphones, spectrum analyzers and other sensors, including a Geiger counter, all of it connected to the cloud, where machine-learning algorithms would scan the data for anything unusual. Seth Fletcher, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2023 Compton received his Nobel Prize in 1927, shared with a pair of German scientists—one of whom would invent the Geiger counter. Brendan McAleer, Car and Driver, 22 July 2023 One of the earliest examples of using sound to represent data is the dosimeter, or Geiger counter. Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2023 For decades, neuroscientists have treated the brain somewhat like a Geiger counter: The rate at which neurons fire is taken as a measure of activity, just as a Geiger counter’s click rate indicates the strength of radiation. Quanta Magazine, 7 July 2021 The Geiger counter was a mechanical device. Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2023 Rio Tinto said in a statement Monday the capsule was packaged for transit to Perth, 1,400 kilometers (870 miles away), with its presence inside the package confirmed by a Geiger counter before it was transported by a third-party contractor. Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 2 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Geiger counter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Hans Geiger †1945 German physicist

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Geiger counter was in 1924

Dictionary Entries Near Geiger counter

Cite this Entry

“Geiger counter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Geiger%20counter. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Geiger counter

noun
Gei·​ger counter ˌgī-gər- How to pronounce Geiger counter (audio)
: an instrument for detecting the presence of cosmic rays or radioactive substances

Medical Definition

Geiger counter

noun
Gei·​ger count·​er ˈgī-gər-ˌkau̇n-tər How to pronounce Geiger counter (audio)
: an instrument for detecting the presence and intensity of radiations (as cosmic rays or particles from a radioactive substance) by means of the ionizing effect on an enclosed gas which results in a pulse that is amplified and fed to a device giving a visible or audible indication
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