spectrum

spec·trum  (spktrm)

n. pl. spec·tra (-tr) or spec·trums

1. Physics The distribution of a characteristic of a physical system or phenomenon, especially:

a. The distribution of energy emitted by a radiant source, as by an incandescent body, arranged in order of wavelengths.

b. The distribution of atomic or subatomic particles in a system, as in a magnetically resolved molecular beam, arranged in order of masses.

2. A graphic or photographic representation of such a distribution.

3.

a. A range of values of a quantity or set of related quantities.

b. A broad sequence or range of related qualities, ideas, or activities: the whole spectrum of 20th-century thought.

---

[Latin, appearance, from specere, to look at; see spek- in Indo-European roots.]

---

spectrum [ˈspɛktrəm]

n pl -tra [-trə]

1. (Physics / General Physics) the distribution of colours produced when white light is dispersed by a prism or diffraction grating. There is a continuous change in wavelength from red, the longest wavelength, to violet, the shortest. Seven colours are usually distinguished: violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red

2. (Physics / General Physics) the whole range of electromagnetic radiation with respect to its wavelength or frequency

3. (Physics / General Physics) any particular distribution of electromagnetic radiation often showing lines or bands characteristic of the substance emitting the radiation or absorbing it See also absorption spectrum, emission spectrum

4. (Physics / General Physics) any similar distribution or record of the energies, velocities, masses, etc., of atoms, ions, electrons, etc. a mass spectrum

5. any range or scale, as of capabilities, emotions, or moods

6. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Physiology) another name for an afterimage

[from Latin: appearance, image, from spectāre to observe, from specere to look at]

---

spectrum  (spktrm)

Plural spectra (spktr) or spectrums

1. A range over which some measurable property of a physical phenomenon, such as the frequency of sound or electromagnetic radiation, or the mass of specific kinds of particles, can vary. For example, the spectrum of visible light is the range of electromagnetic radiation with frequencies between between 4.7 × 10¹⁴ and 7.5 × 10¹⁴ hertz.

2. The observed distribution of a phenomenon across a range of measurement. See more at atomic spectrumspectroscopy

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	spectrum - an ordered array of the components of an emission or wave spectrum line - an isolated component of a spectrum formed by radiation at a uniform frequency array - an orderly arrangement; "an array of troops in battle order" absorption spectrum - the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation that has passed through a medium that absorbed radiation of certain wavelengths action spectrum - the efficiency with which electromagnetic radiation produces a photochemical reaction plotted as a function of the wavelength of the radiation atomic spectrum - (physics) a spectrum of radiation caused by electron transitions within an atom; the series of spectrum lines is characteristic of the element electromagnetic spectrum - the entire frequency range of electromagnetic waves emission spectrum - spectrum of electromagnetic radiation emitted by a self-luminous source infrared spectrum - the spectrum of infrared radiation line spectrum - a spectrum in which energy is concentrated at particular wavelengths; produced by excited atoms and ions as they fall back to a lower energy level mass spectrum - a distribution of ions as shown by a mass spectrograph or a mass spectrometer microwave spectrum - the part of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponding to microwaves radio spectrum, radio-frequency spectrum - the entire spectrum of electromagnetic frequencies used for communications; includes frequencies used for radio and radar and television acoustic spectrum, sound spectrum - the distribution of energy as a function of frequency for a particular sound source ultraviolet spectrum - the spectrum of ultraviolet radiation color spectrum, visible spectrum - the distribution of colors produced when light is dispersed by a prism
	2.	spectrum - a broad range of related objects or values or qualities or ideas or activities ambit, range, scope, reach, compass, orbit - an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"; "a piano has a greater range than the human voice"; "the ambit of municipal legislation"; "within the compass of this article"; "within the scope of an investigation"; "outside the reach of the law"; "in the political orbit of a world power"

---

spectrum

noun range, variety, assortment, series, selection, gamut a wide spectrum of problems

Translations

spectrum [ˈspektrəm]

A. N (spectra (pl)) [ˈspektrə]

1. (= range) → espectro m, gama f
we went through the whole spectrum of emotions → experimentamos todo el espectro or toda la gama de emociones posibles
a wide spectrum of opinions → un amplio espectro or abanico de opiniones, una amplia gama de opiniones
the political spectrum → el espectro político

2. (Phys) → espectro m

B. CPD spectrum analysis N → análisis m inv espectral

---

spectrum [ˈspɛktrəm] [spectra] [ˈspɛktrə] (pl) n

[colours] → spectre m

(PHYSICS) → spectre m
sound spectrum → spectre sonore
light spectrum → spectre lumineux

(= range) [opinions, experiences, emotions] → éventail m
at the other end of the spectrum, on the other side of the spectrum → de l'autre côté du spectre
across the social spectrum → dans tous les milieux sociaux
the political spectrum → le spectre politique
at both ends of the political spectrum → de part et d'autre du spectre politique

---

spectrum

n pl <spectra> → Spektrum nt; (fig: = range also) → Palette f, → Skala f; spectrum analysis → Spektralanalyse f

---

spectrum [ˈspɛktrəm] n (spectra (pl)) (Phys) → spettro (fig) → gamma

---

spectrum [ˈspɛktrəm] n (spectra (pl)) (Phys) → spettro (fig) → gamma

---

spectrum

n spectrum [ˈspektrəm]

1 the visible spectrum. spektrum طَيْف спектър spektrum spektrum das Spektrum φάσμα espectro spekter بينايي kirjo spectre צִבעֵי הַקֶשֶת वर्णक्रम spektar színkép spektrum litróf, skali spettro スペクトル 스펙트럼 spektras spektrs spektrum spectrum spektrum widmo espectro spectru спектр spektrum spekter spektar spektrum แถบสีหลากหลายสีที่สามารถมองเห็นได้ tayf (可見)光譜 спектр عینی طیف hình ảnh （可见）光谱

2 the full range (of something) The actress's voice was capable of expressing the whole spectrum of emotion. spektrum سِلْسِلَه، نِطاق спектър rejstřík register die Skala εύρος, γκάμα espectro, gama astmik, skaala طيف asteikko spectre סְפֶקטרוּם श्रृंखला raspon spektrum rangkaian litróf spettro 範囲 범위 gama, diapazonas diapazons; apjoms; gamma lingkungan spectrum hele registeret wachlarz gama gamă диапазон škála, stupnica spekter spektar spektrum, skala ขอบเขตหรือแนวของ...ที่สมบูรณ์ yelpaze, dizi 範圍 діапазон کسی چیز کی مکمل ترتیب کا نقشہ một chuỗi đầy đủ, chuỗi rộng 范围

3 the entire range of radiation of different wavelengths, part of which (the visible spectrum) is normally visible to the naked eye. spektrum نِطاق طَيْف الإشْعاع спектър spektrum spektrum das Spektrum φάσμα espectro spekter گستره ي تابش spektri spectre טְווָח הַראִייָה विभिन्न तरंग-दैर्घ्य की प्रकाश की पूरी श्रृंखला spektar színkép, spektrum spektrum cahaya sÿnilegt litróf spettro 光スペクトル 빛의 스펙트럼 범위 spektras spektrs spektrum spectrum (synlig) spektrum widmo espectro spectru диапазон; спектр spektrum spekter spektar spektrum แถวทั้งหมดของรังสีที่แตกต่างกันไปตามความยาวคลื่นซึ่งบางส่วนสามารถมองเห็นได้ด้วยตาเปล่า tayf 頻譜 видимий спектр کسی برقناطیسی اشعاع کی تدریجی ترتیب کا نقشہ quang phổ 频谱

4 a similar range of frequencies of sound (the sound spectrum). spektrum نِطاق مَوجات الصَّوْت спектър (zvukové) spektrum spektrum das Spektrum φάσμα espectro helispekter گستره ي صوتي skaala spectre טְווָח השמיעה ध्वनि की आवृत्तियों की इसी प्रकार की श्रृंखला spektar (zvučni) hangszínkép spektrum bunyi hljóðróf spettro 音スペクトル 가정 음파역(域) diapazonas diapazons spektrum bunyi spectrum lydregisteret zakres espectro spectru диапазон (zvukové) spektrum spekter spektar spektrum แถวความถี่ของเสียงที่คล้ายกัน dalga kuşağı 聲譜 спектр звукових частот صوتی امواج کا تجریجی نقشہ loạt những dải âm thanh tương tự quang phổ 声谱