Dictionary

detector en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /dɪˈtɛktə(ɹ)/ (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dētēctor. Equals detect + -or (agent noun forming suffix).

Meanings

1. A device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon, and that optionally sounds an alarm or triggers a warning.
   • At 2255, it passed a hot axle box detector at Great Bridgeford. No problem here - the detector detected no abnormal temperatures anywhere in the consist. 2026 March 18, Greg Morse, “1996 crash driving freight reforms”, in RAIL, number 1057, page 50:
   • Smoke detectors are mandatory in public buildings.
2. A device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon, and that optionally sounds an alarm or triggers a warning. ▸ An indicator showing the depth of the water in a boiler.
3. A device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon, and that optionally sounds an alarm or triggers a warning. ▸ A galvanometer, usually portable, for indicating the direction of a current.
4. A device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon, and that optionally sounds an alarm or triggers a warning. ▸ A device measuring radiation or electromagnetic waves.

Forms

Deriveds

electron capture detector · junction detector · detector van · detectorless · detectorist · detector bar · cryodetector · bat detector · sarcasm detector · peak detector · radar detector · heat detector · geodetector · Everhart-Thornley detector · autodetector · watchman's detector · motion detector · fluorodetector · scintillation detector · currency detector · biodetector · duct detector · subdetector · photodetector · lithium-drifted silicon detector · multidetector · radiodetector · smoke detector · CO detector · Canny edge detector · microdetector · lie detector · detectorism · window detector · time detector · envelope detector · lightning detector · metal detector · watchman's time detector

Translations (28)

sv detektor (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · ms pengesan (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · be дэтэ́ктар (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · nb detektor (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · fr détecteur (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · he גלאי (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · pt detector (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · de Detektor (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · fi tunnistin (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · hi डिटेक्टर (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · id detektor (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · tl paniktik (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · fi ilmaisin (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · cs detektor (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · cmn 檢測儀 /检测仪 (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · ro detector (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · da detektor (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · ru дете́ктор (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · pt detetor (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · el ανιχνευτής (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · mi paerongo (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · uk дете́ктор (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · ga brathadóir (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · mi pūoko (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · nn detektor (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · bg дете́ктор (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · pl detektor (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon) · pl wykrywacz (device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon)