thermometer

noun

ther·​mom·​e·​ter thər-ˈmä-mə-tər 

thə-ˈmä-mə-tər

plural thermometers

: an instrument for determining temperature

specifically : one consisting of a sensor housed in a metal probe that registers a change in electrical resistance as a change in temperature

thermometric

ˌthər-mə-ˈme-trik 

adjective

thermometrically

ˌthər-mə-ˈme-tri-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of thermometer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature—especially for bone-in cuts that can be harder to heat through. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 2025

State of play: The thermometer begins to dip Friday with 2-6 inches of snow expected through Saturday along the Front Range, according to meteorologists. —John Frank, Axios, 13 Jan. 2025

Continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, stirring frequently, until the thermometer registers 280°F (soft crack stage), about 15 minutes. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Jan. 2025

On March 9 — a winter’s day — thermometers hit 90 degrees. —Martin E. Comas, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French thermomètre, from Greek thermē heat + French -o- + -mètre -meter — more at therm

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing thermometer

• clinical thermometer
• dry bulb thermometer
• forehead thermometer
• temporal artery thermometer
• temporal thermometer

Kids Definition

thermometer

noun

ther·​mom·​e·​ter thə(r)-ˈmäm-ət-ər 

: an instrument for measuring temperature

thermometric

ˌthər-mə-ˈme-trik 

adjective

Medical Definition

thermometer

noun

ther·​mom·​e·​ter thə(r)-ˈmäm-ət-ər 

: an instrument for determining temperature that usually consists either of a device providing a digital readout or of a glass bulb attached to a fine tube of glass with a numbered scale and containing a liquid (as mercury or colored alcohol) that is sealed in and rises and falls with changes of temperature