near-infrared

adjective

near-in·​fra·​red ˌnir-ˌin-frə-ˈred 

-(ˌ)frä-

: of or relating to the shorter wavelengths of radiation in the infrared spectrum and especially to those between 0.7 and 2.5 micrometers

Examples of near-infrared in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Between the first 10 hours and three days after birth, the team observed how the newborns’ brains reacted to German, Hebrew and French by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a noninvasive imaging technique that measures changes in blood oxygenation in the brain. —Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 23 May 2026

The images were taken on May 3 from approximately 3 million miles (4.8 million kilometers) away using the spacecraft’s multispectral imager, which captures visible light, as well as near-infrared, ultraviolet and thermal wavelengths. —Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026

By seeing in near-infrared, NIRCam was able to capture this incredible view of part of the Whirlpool Galaxy. —Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 13 May 2026

Next, Claras uses near-infrared technology to sort materials by fiber type, then removes any hardware by hand. —Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 5 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for near-infrared

• abed
• ahead
• beachhead
• bedspread
• bedstead
• behead
• blackhead
• blockhead
• bloodshed
• bowhead
• breastfed
• bridgehead