| Noun | 1. | spectrum - an ordered array of the components of an emission or wavespectrum 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" |