Geiger counter

noun

Gei·​ger counter ˈgī-gər- 

: 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

Radiological weapons can be detected by a Geiger counter, while chemical weapons can usually be identified by reagents, electronic sensors, and special detection sheets sensitive to things like nerve agents. — David Szondy june 27, New Atlas, 27 June 2026

Our Geiger counter, which took live measurements of the environment, clicked quietly. — Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026

In Walker Percy’s novel The Moviegoer, the hero, Binx Bolling, tells us that there is an invisible Geiger counter in his head that rattles loudly whenever a Jew passes by. — Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026

Using a Geiger counter The Geiger counter was developed by a German scientist named Hans Geiger in the early 1900s. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Hans Geiger †1945 German physicist

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Geiger counter

• encounter

Kids Definition

Geiger counter

noun

Gei·​ger counter ˌgī-gər- 

: 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 

: 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