spectrometer

noun

spec·​trom·​e·​ter spek-ˈträ-mə-tər 

1

: an instrument used for measuring wavelengths of light spectra

2

: any of various analytical instruments in which an emission (as of particles or radiation) is dispersed according to some property (such as mass or energy) of the emission and the amount of dispersion is measured

nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer

spectrometric

ˌspek-trə-ˈme-trik 

adjective

spectrometry

spek-ˈträ-mə-trē 

noun

Examples of spectrometer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But iron was more promising; Venera and the Vega probes had detected atmospheric iron, while the mass spectrometer aboard the Pioneer Venus Large Probe found the compound iron sulfate, but these discoveries eluded explanation for decades. — Elizabeth Rayne, ArsTechnica, 1 Oct. 2026

Gordei then allegedly falsified documents to state that a New Jersey company was exporting the spectrometer. — Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

Its instruments included a color camera, a thermal infrared sensor, an ultraviolet spectrometer and a mass spectrometer to study (both to study particles in the Martian atmosphere). — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 24 Sep. 2026

More immediately, Goddard engineers are building a mass spectrometer for the upcoming Dragonfly drone copter, which is set to launch to Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, in July 2028. — Eric Niiler, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for spectrometer

• barometer
• chronometer
• geometer
• hydrometer
• hygrometer
• kilometer
• micrometer
• odometer
• photometer
• psychrometer
• pycnometer
• pyrometer

Kids Definition

spectrometer

noun

spec·​trom·​e·​ter spek-ˈträm-ət-ər 

1

: an instrument for producing a spectrum

2

: an instrument that spreads particles or radiation into an ordered sequence (as by mass or energy)

Medical Definition

spectrometer

noun

spec·​trom·​e·​ter spek-ˈträm-ət-ər 

1

: an instrument used for measuring wavelengths of light spectra

2

: any of various analytical instruments in which an emission (as of particles or radiation) is dispersed according to some property (as mass or energy) of the emission and the amount of dispersion is measured

nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer

spectrometric

ˌspek-trə-ˈme-trik 

adjective

spectrometry

spek-ˈträm-ə-trē 

noun

plural spectrometries