radio telescope

noun

: a radio receiver-antenna combination used for observation in radio astronomy

Examples of radio telescope in a Sentence

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.
These regions are often rich in carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and scientists usually spot them with radio telescopes that detect carbon monoxide. Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025 No messages have ever been received, but in 1977 a radio telescope in Ohio detected a strong signal that lasted only for a minute. Chris Impey, The Conversation, 25 Apr. 2025 These jets can be seen at great distances by radio telescopes and are a common sight in the local universe. Robert Lea, Space.com, 6 Feb. 2025 The discovery was made using the world's largest radio telescope, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), consisting of 66 antennas across the Atacama Desert region of Northern Chile. Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for radio telescope

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of radio telescope was in 1947

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Radio telescope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/radio%20telescope. Accessed 20 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

radio telescope

noun
: a radio receiver-antenna combination used for observation in radio astronomy

More from Merriam-Webster on radio telescope

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!