hologram

noun

ho·​lo·​gram ˈhō-lə-ˌgram How to pronounce hologram (audio) ˈhä- How to pronounce hologram (audio)
: a three-dimensional image reproduced from a pattern of interference produced by a split coherent beam of radiation (such as a laser)
also : the pattern of interference itself

Did you know?

A hologram is a picture of a "whole" object, showing it in three dimensions. We've all seen cheap hologram images on credit cards and ID cards (where they help prevent copying). Far more impressive are large holograms that take the form of a ghostly 3-D moving figure that you can walk around to see from all angles. Holograms were invented in 1947 but only perfected after the invention of the laser in 1960. Today they're used in such technologies as compact-disc players and checkout scanners, and holograms can be created of the inside of live internal organs to permit doctors to examine the organs in great detail. And soon televisions with hologram technology may enable us to watch in "3-D".

Examples of hologram in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The result is a pulsating world filled with intricate rituals, mind control and menacing holograms. Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 1 May 2025 With more advancements, these clones could soon become lifelike holograms, capable of offering advice or cracking jokes from the digital afterlife. Raghu Para, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025 This correspondence is often compared to the way a hologram can make two-dimensional structures appear to be three-dimensional. Lyndie Chiou, Wired News, 20 Apr. 2025 The legendary band has since been immortalized with a hologram residency of the same name in London, which is currently slated to run through 2029 at the ABBA Arena. Jack Irvin, People.com, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hologram

Word History

Etymology

holo- + -gram

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hologram was in 1949

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Cite this Entry

“Hologram.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hologram. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

hologram

noun
ho·​lo·​gram ˈhō-lə-ˌgram How to pronounce hologram (audio) ˈhäl-ə- How to pronounce hologram (audio)
: a three-dimensional picture made by a complex pattern of light (as laser light)

Medical Definition

hologram

noun
ho·​lo·​gram ˈhō-lə-ˌgram How to pronounce hologram (audio) ˈhäl-ə- How to pronounce hologram (audio)
: a three-dimensional image reproduced from a pattern of interference produced by a split coherent beam of radiation (as from a laser)
also : the pattern of interference itself

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