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

When the sensor readings were subsequently analyzed, they were found to closely match readings which were obtained over the same period by people using handheld spectrometers. —New Atlas, 27 Nov. 2024

How Return to Vendor will handle returns, on the other hand, is still being mapped out beyond the use of a state-of-the-art spectrometer at one of Wearable Collections’ sorting partners in New Jersey to identify RTV nylon. —Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019

To carry out a thorough investigation, Europa Clipper is outfitted with cameras and spectrometers to capture high-resolution images and create maps of the moon’s surface and thin atmosphere. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 14 Oct. 2024

The spectrometer measures the mass of the individual molecules and generates a spectrum, indicating the chemical composition of the gas. —Linda Shiner, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Aug. 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