Meaning & use
spectrum
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Meanings
nounusually singularfigurative
A broad range of related things, positions or possibilities that stretch between two extremes.
Grammar: Usually singular with a: a spectrum of opinions; plural is spectra or spectrums.
Patterns
- a spectrum of something
- across the spectrum
- on the spectrum
The committee heard views from across the political spectrum.
Her symptoms lie at the milder end of the spectrum.
The store sells a wide spectrum of products, from toys to tools.
nouncountablephysicstechnical
The band of colors seen when white light is split, as in a rainbow, or the full range of wavelengths of radiation.
Grammar: Often with the: the visible spectrum; the electromagnetic spectrum.
Patterns
- the visible spectrum
- the electromagnetic spectrum
A glass prism spreads sunlight into the colors of the spectrum.
Radio waves lie at one end of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Infrared light falls outside the visible spectrum.
Word forms
| plural | spectra |
|---|---|
| plural | spectrums |
Common combinations
- political spectrum
- Voters from every part of the political spectrum attended.
- wide spectrum
- The course covers a wide spectrum of topics.
- visible spectrum
- Humans can only see a small part of the visible spectrum.
- at either end of the spectrum
- The two writers sit at opposite ends of the spectrum.
- autism spectrum
- The school supports children across the autism spectrum.
Synonyms and how they differ
- range
- Range is the everyday word for variety and is less suggestive of a continuous scale between two ends.
- gamut
- Gamut stresses the complete extent of something, as in running the gamut of emotions, and is somewhat more literary.
- continuum
- Continuum stresses smooth, gradual change with no sharp divisions, which spectrum does not always imply.
- scale
- Scale suggests measured steps from low to high, whereas spectrum can include different kinds of things.
Word family
- spectral adjective
- relating to a spectrum, or ghostly
- spectra noun
- the usual plural of spectrum
- spectroscope noun
- an instrument that splits light into its spectrum
- spectrometer noun
- a device that measures a spectrum
Commonly confused: spectrum or specter?
spectrum vs specter
A specter is a ghost, and it is only a distant relative of spectrum. The spelling and meaning are different, so do not use one for the other.
Practice
Which sentence uses spectrum correctly in the plural?
Choose one answer.
Spectra is the standard plural. 'Spectras' is not a word, 'many spectrum' misses the plural, and 'the spectrum ... were' mismatches the verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “spectrum”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.