synchrotron

noun

syn·​chro·​tron ˈsiŋ-krə-ˌträn How to pronounce synchrotron (audio)
ˈsin-
1
: an apparatus for imparting very high speeds to charged particles by means of a combination of a high-frequency electric field and a low-frequency magnetic field
2

Examples of synchrotron in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The scans are made by synchrotron scanners, which are massive particle accelerators that can beam high-power x-rays at the object, revealing its inner layers down to the atomic level. Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 26 June 2026 His team used a synchrotron — a machine that produces extremely powerful beams of light by accelerating electrons to very high speeds — to peer inside the rock without breaking it open. Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026 Clements’ team examined the fossil using a synchrotron, a machine that produces extremely powerful beams of light by accelerating electrons to very high speeds. Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026 The 11-Tooth Smoking Gun Clements’ team cracked the case by examining the fossil using a synchrotron, a machine that produces extremely powerful beams of light by accelerating electrons to very high speeds. Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for synchrotron

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of synchrotron was in 1945

Cite this Entry

“Synchrotron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/synchrotron. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

Medical Definition

synchrotron

noun
syn·​chro·​tron ˈsiŋ-krə-ˌträn, ˈsin- How to pronounce synchrotron (audio)
: an apparatus for imparting very high speeds to charged particles by means of a combination of a high-frequency electric field and a low-frequency magnetic field

More from Merriam-Webster on synchrotron

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster