Meaning & use
thermometer
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
An instrument used to measure and show temperature.
Grammar: Countable; plural 'thermometers'. Often used with 'a' or 'the'.
Patterns
- use a thermometer
- check the thermometer
- thermometer reads something
The nurse used a thermometer to check his temperature.
According to the thermometer, it's 30 degrees outside.
I bought a digital thermometer for cooking.
nouncountable
A device for measuring temperature, especially a medical one for checking body temperature.
Grammar: Countable; often used in medical contexts: 'take someone's temperature with a thermometer'.
Patterns
- put a thermometer in something
- thermometer under the tongue
- ear thermometer
She placed the thermometer under her tongue and waited for the beep.
The doctor used an ear thermometer for a quick reading.
You should clean the thermometer after each use.
Word forms
| plural | thermometers |
|---|
Common combinations
- digital thermometer
- A digital thermometer gives a reading in seconds.
- clinical thermometer
- The clinical thermometer is designed for measuring body temperature.
- thermometer reading
- The thermometer reading showed a slight fever.
- check the thermometer
- He checked the thermometer to see if the water was boiling.
Synonyms and how they differ
- temperature gauge
- A broader term for any device measuring temperature; 'thermometer' is the usual word for medical or household use.
Word family
- thermometric adjective
- Relating to the measurement of temperature.
- thermometry noun
- The science or practice of measuring temperature.
Commonly confused: thermometer or thermostat?
thermometer vs thermostat
A thermostat controls temperature (e.g., in a heating system), while a thermometer only measures it.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
A thermometer measures temperature, so using it to measure fever is correct. A thermostat controls temperature, and a degree is a unit, not a thermometer.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “thermometer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.