imager

noun

im·​ag·​er ˈi-mi-jər 

plural imagers

: one that produces an image: such as

a

: any of various machines (such as a CT scanner or X-ray machine) used to produce diagnostic images of a living body

… we believe that our state-of-the-art NMR imager is more sensitive than our state-of-the-art CT scanner in the evaluation of these diseases. Thus, to exclude suspected disease, NMR is the preferred modality.

—William G. Bradley, Jr.

b

: an instrument that combines the functions of detection and image production to generate graphic output of extremely high quality for scientific or technical study

The payload includes a descent imager to characterize the landing site's geological context, a stereo imager for high-resolution mapping of the surroundings, a gas analyzer, and an environmental survey package.

—Robert Burnham

The imager can measure two- and three-dimensional beam-intensity distributions, and it can transfer data to a computer via a video frame grabber.

—Physics Today

Examples of imager in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The James Webb Space Telescope, for example, could use its infrared imagers to capture a wealth of data, shedding light on the formation process of moon craters. —Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026

The team then constructed a prototype imager that is capable of tracking those molecules in living cells. —Alex Knapp, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026

That approach raises questions about what the drones (which are equipped with three different cameras and a thermal imager) can and can’t see, and how officers are making decisions about call responses without actually speaking to anyone at the scene, the ACLU’s Robinson said. —Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 12 Dec. 2025

Eager for a sneak peek, engineers used the spacecraft's smaller, slower antenna to trickle home just one-quarter of a single frame from JUICE's Navigation Camera (NavCam), a low-resolution imager designed not for science but for navigating JUICE around Jupiter's icy moons after its 2031 arrival. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 11 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ymageoure, ymager "one who makes images, sculptor," in part from imagen "to image entry 2" + -eoure, -er -er entry 2, in part borrowed from Middle French imagier, ymageur, derivatives of ymagier "to picture, imagine"

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above