Spectrum Definition

spĕktrəm
spectra, spectrums
noun
A range of radio frequencies assigned by a regulatory agency for use by a given group or organization.
American Heritage
The series of colored bands or lines dispersed and arranged in the order of their respective wavelengths by the passage of white light through a prism or other dispersing device and shading continuously from red (produced by the longest wave visible) through violet (produced by the shortest): the six main colors of the spectrum are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet, with a seventh color (indigo) sometimes specified, between blue and violet.
Webster's New World
The intensity of any radiation or motion displayed as a function of frequency, or wavelength.
Webster's New World
A graphic or photographic representation of such a measurable range; a spectrogram.
American Heritage
An afterimage.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
idiom
on the spectrum
  • having a diagnosis based on a wide range of related symptoms including those of autism and Asperger's syndrome
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Spectrum

Noun

Singular:
spectrum
Plural:
spectra, spectrums

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Spectrum

Origin of Spectrum

  • From Latin spectrum (“appearance, image, apparition"), from speciō (“look at, view"). (see scope)

    From Wiktionary

  • Latin appearance from specere to look at spek- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Spectrum Sentence Examples

  • Our eyes are capable of seeing only a narrow spectrum of light.

  • Let AoBo be a plane wave-surface of the light before it falls upon the prisms, AB the corresponding wave-surface for a particular part of the spectrum after the light has passed the prisms, or after it has passed the eye-piece of the observing telescope.

  • There is a certain amount of evidence that at any rate in some cases light is necessary, and that the violet rays of the spectrum are chiefly concerned.

  • Moseley, shortly after the discovery of the diffraction of X-rays by crystals, set to work to examine the X-ray spectrum of a number of elements each of which he made in turn the target of an X-ray tube.

  • There are many thousands of lines in the mercury spectrum, so that from this evidence it would appear that for mercury vapour n ought to be very great, and y almost equal to unity.

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Words Starting With

SSPSPE

Words Ending With

MUMRUM

Unscrambles

spectrum

Words Starting With S and Ending With M

Starts With S & Ends With MStarts With SP & Ends With MStarts With S & Ends With UM

Word Length

8 Letter Words8 Letter Words Starting With S8 Letter Words Ending With M