Meaning & use

spectrometer

noun·Advanced

An instrument that measures the properties of light or other radiation across a range of wavelengths.

See it in a sentence

The chemist used a spectrometer to identify the elements present in the sample.

Astronomers attached a spectrometer to the telescope to analyze starlight.

A note on using this word

Spectrometer is sometimes confused with spectroscope; a spectrometer specifically measures and records data rather than just producing a visible spectrum.

Words with a similar meaning

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