spectrometer

noun

spec·​trom·​e·​ter spek-ˈträ-mə-tər How to pronounce spectrometer (audio)
1
: an instrument used for measuring wavelengths of light spectra
2
: any of various analytical instruments in which an emission (as of particles or radiation) is dispersed according to some property (such as mass or energy) of the emission and the amount of dispersion is measured
nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer
spectrometric adjective
spectrometry noun

Examples of spectrometer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That spectrometer, the prototype of today's x-ray diffractometers, is still housed in the Royal Institution, as well as their model of the atomic structure of rock salt. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 26 Dec. 2023 For example, a photoelectron spectrometer detects how many electrons were removed from the atom by the probe pulse, or a photon spectrometer measures how much of the probe pulse was absorbed by the atom. Niranjan Shivaram, The Conversation, 4 Oct. 2023 Unlike the home testing swabs, which are known to be unreliable, Rubin uses XRF technology—the same $35,000 spectrometer used by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which has the power to recall products—and has confirmed the presence of lead. Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 1 Feb. 2024 As the tissues vaporize, a spectrometer analyzes and classifies the results using on-board memory to map the patient’s bone and soft tissue regions. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Dec. 2023 James Dewar in the Royal Institution, circa 1900 Public domain A Dewar flask Royal Institution The x-ray spectrometer developed by William Henry Bragg. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 26 Dec. 2023 At that distance, Clipper’s magnetometer will be able to measure the depth and salinity of the moon’s ocean; its mass spectrometer will study the ocean’s chemical makeup; and its ultraviolet spectrograph will search for plumes of water vapor escaping through the icy shell. Gina Errico, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2023 The arm and scoop will allow Luna 25 to dig into the regolith and collect samples, which will be transferred to a chamber within the ship, broken down by laser and analyzed more closely than the gamma-ray and neutron spectrometers can. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 10 Aug. 2023 Cassini’s samples, analyzed by the spacecraft’s onboard mass spectrometer (an instrument that identifies compounds by their molecular weight), had initially revealed five types of molecules in the jets: water, carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia and molecular hydrogen. Ling Xin, Scientific American, 14 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spectrometer.' 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

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spectrometer was in 1874

Dictionary Entries Near spectrometer

Cite this Entry

“Spectrometer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spectrometer. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

spectrometer

noun
spec·​trom·​e·​ter spek-ˈträm-ət-ər How to pronounce spectrometer (audio)
1
: an instrument for producing a spectrum
2
: an instrument that spreads particles or radiation into an ordered sequence (as by mass or energy)

Medical Definition

spectrometer

noun
spec·​trom·​e·​ter spek-ˈträm-ət-ər How to pronounce spectrometer (audio)
1
: an instrument used for measuring wavelengths of light spectra
2
: any of various analytical instruments in which an emission (as of particles or radiation) is dispersed according to some property (as mass or energy) of the emission and the amount of dispersion is measured
nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer
spectrometric adjective
spectrometry noun
plural spectrometries

More from Merriam-Webster on spectrometer

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