spectrometer

noun

spec·​trom·​e·​ter spek-ˈträ-mə-tər How to pronounce spectrometer (audio)
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 adjective
spectrometry noun

Examples of spectrometer 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.
Here's a brief look: NASA's Dragonfly nuclear helicopter To study Titan's atmosphere and surface, Dragonfly will have a variety of instruments, including a mass spectrometer, a drill system and a neutron spectrometer. Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 12 May 2025 Astronomers used Webb's sophisticated infrared optics and spectrometers to pinpoint characteristics of the exoplanet. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 1 May 2025 This releases gases from the sample, which are then separated and studied by specialized sensors (in this case, a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer) that can identify the elements vital for life — carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 25 Mar. 2025 Canceling the tracker layer upgrade to the spectrometer would also not be catastrophic. Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for spectrometer

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spectrometer was in 1874

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Cite this Entry

“Spectrometer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spectrometer. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

spectrometer

noun
spec·​trom·​e·​ter spek-ˈträm-ət-ər How to pronounce spectrometer (audio)
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 How to pronounce spectrometer (audio)
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 adjective
spectrometry noun
plural spectrometries

More from Merriam-Webster on spectrometer

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