detector

noun

de·​tec·​tor di-ˈtek-tər How to pronounce detector (audio)
Synonyms of detectornext
: 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

Synonyms of detector

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.
Test detectors regularly and replace batteries annually. Ryan Brennan may 19, Miami Herald, 19 May 2026 The data problem When the EIC goes online, its detector — a house-sized instrument called ePIC — will produce up to 100 gigabits of data per second. Deena Theresa, Interesting Engineering, 18 May 2026 After determining what this signature would look like, Vicente and colleagues searched through data gathered by LIGO and its fellow gravitational wave detectors, KAGRA (Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector) and Virgo, focusing on 28 of the clearest signals from merging black holes. Robert Lea, Space.com, 15 May 2026 That six-story building has had 117 open violations, which include defective self-closing doors on the fourth and sixth floors and nonfunctioning smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, city records show. Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026 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 20 May. 2026.

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

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