spectrometer

noun

spec·​trom·​e·​ter spek-ˈträ-mə-tər 

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

ˌspek-trə-ˈme-trik 

adjective

spectrometry

spek-ˈträ-mə-trē 

noun

Examples of spectrometer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The study used a new technology, an imaging spectrometer, which measures electromagnetic radiation to detect and measure processes in the Earth’s atmosphere, to collect data on methane emissions from 20% of the country’s largest landfills. —Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 22 May 2024

Then Hansen switched on an oven-size box known as a mass spectrometer, which weighs molecules so that scientists can identify them. —Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 20 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

spectrometer

noun

spec·​trom·​e·​ter spek-ˈträm-ət-ər 

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 

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

ˌspek-trə-ˈme-trik 

adjective

spectrometry

spek-ˈträm-ə-trē 

noun

plural spectrometries