scanner

noun

scan·​ner ˈska-nər 

: one that scans: such as

a

: a device for sensing recorded data (as in a bar code)

a supermarket scanner

b

: a radio receiver that sequentially scans a range of frequencies for a signal

c

: a device that scans an image (such as a photograph) or document (such as a page of text) especially for use or storage on a computer

d

: a medical device for scanning a living body to collect diagnostic information see ct scanner

Examples of scanner in a Sentence

a price scanner at a supermarket

Recent Examples on the Web

The entrance to the building is always locked, and at least one officer guards the stairway down to the safes, where advanced securities are in place, including a fingerprint and iris scanner and an electronic key card reader. —Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025

Many organizations have scanners that are on but not tuned, findings that are never reviewed or checks written in policy but not enforced in pipelines. —Rajat Sharma, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

This demands relentless refinement of transmitters, scanners, and receivers. —Ni Tao, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2025

Researchers leveraged a combination of neurophysiological methods, inside and outside of an MRI scanner, with each participant. —Brian Anthony Hernandez, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing scanner

• CAT scanner
• CT scanner

Rhymes for scanner

• banner
• branner
• canner
• fanner
• kanner
• manner
• manor
• planner
• spanner
• tanner

Kids Definition

scanner

noun

scan·​ner ˈskan-ər 

: one that scans: as

a

: a device that senses recorded information

b

: a radio receiver that scans a range of frequencies for a signal

c

: a device that scans an image or document especially for use or storage on a computer

d

: a device for scanning a living body to collect medical information

Medical Definition

scanner

noun

scan·​ner ˈskan-ər 

: a device (as a CT scanner) for making scans of a living body