detector

noun

de·​tec·​tor di-ˈtek-tər How to pronounce detector (audio)
: one that detects: such as
a
: a device for detecting the presence of electromagnetic waves or of radioactivity
b
: a rectifier of high-frequency current used especially for extracting the intelligence from a radio signal

Examples of detector in a Sentence

using metal detectors to improve safety at airports a motion detector to thwart burglaries
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.
China has reportedly started the mass production of a photon detector that can help build quantum radars to track advanced stealth fighters like the F-22 Raptor jet. Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025 Gauges at wellheads tell the local stories, just like the carbon dioxide detector atop Hawaii’s Mauna Loa has told the global story since 1958. Allen Best, Denver Post, 1 Oct. 2025 One particular problem was the relatively low resolution available from a mass spectrometer on Cassini called the Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA), which parsed the chemical composition of puffs of dust from ice grains striking its detectors each time the spacecraft swooped through a plume. Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2025 The anterior cingulate cortex, your brain’s conflict detector, becomes hyperactive in ambiguous situations. Anne-Laure Le Cunff, Big Think, 29 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for detector

Word History

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of detector was in 1541

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Detector.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detector. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

detector

noun
de·​tec·​tor di-ˈtek-tər How to pronounce detector (audio)
1
: one that detects or warns
a smoke detector
2
: a device in a radio receiver for changing the high-frequency current of radio waves into current that can vibrate a loudspeaker to reproduce the original sound

Medical Definition

detector

noun
de·​tec·​tor di-ˈtek-tər How to pronounce detector (audio)
: one that detects
especially : a device for detecting the presence of electromagnetic waves or of radioactivity

More from Merriam-Webster on detector

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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