thermometer

noun

ther·​mom·​e·​ter thər-ˈmä-mə-tər 

thə-ˈmä-mə-tər

plural thermometers

: an instrument for determining temperature

specifically : one consisting of a sensor housed in a metal probe that registers a change in electrical resistance as a change in temperature

thermometric

ˌthər-mə-ˈme-trik 

adjective

thermometrically

ˌthər-mə-ˈme-tri-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of thermometer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cook over medium, swirling pan as needed (but not stirring), until mixture is a light amber color and a candy thermometer registers 320℉, 5 to 6 minutes. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2025

One of the top items on my list is a meat thermometer. —Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Nov. 2025

Best Amazon Outlet Black Friday Kitchen Deals Our favorite outlet deals include KitchenAid oven mitts, a quick-drying dish mat, and a now-$6 digital meat thermometer that works fast and is easy to use, according to shoppers. —Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025

Always use a food thermometer to ensure the turkey reaches a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees. —Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French thermomètre, from Greek thermē heat + French -o- + -mètre -meter — more at therm

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing thermometer

• clinical thermometer
• dry bulb thermometer
• forehead thermometer
• temporal artery thermometer
• temporal thermometer

Rhymes for thermometer

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

Kids Definition

thermometer

noun

ther·​mom·​e·​ter thə(r)-ˈmäm-ət-ər 

: an instrument for measuring temperature

thermometric

ˌthər-mə-ˈme-trik 

adjective

Medical Definition

thermometer

noun

ther·​mom·​e·​ter thə(r)-ˈmäm-ət-ər 

: an instrument for determining temperature that usually consists either of a device providing a digital readout or of a glass bulb attached to a fine tube of glass with a numbered scale and containing a liquid (as mercury or colored alcohol) that is sealed in and rises and falls with changes of temperature