spectrum
English
Etymology
From Latin spectrum (“appearance, image, apparition”), from speciō (“look at, view”). (see scope)
Pronunciation
Noun
spectrum (plural spectra or spectrums)
- Specter, apparition. [from early 17th c.]
- A range; a continuous, infinite, one-dimensional set, possibly bounded by extremes.
- Specifically, a range of colours representing light (electromagnetic radiation) of contiguous frequencies; hence electromagnetic spectrum, visible spectrum, ultraviolet spectrum, etc. [from later 17th c.]
- 2010 October 30, Jim Giles, Jammed!, in New Scientist,
- Current 3G technologies can send roughly 1 bit of data - a one or a zero - per second over each 1 Hz of spectrum that the operator owns.
- 2010 October 30, Jim Giles, Jammed!, in New Scientist,
- (chemistry) The pattern of absorption or emission of radiation produced by a substance when subjected to energy (radiation, heat, electricity, etc.).
- (mathematics, linear algebra) The set of eigenvalues of a matrix.
- (mathematics, functional analysis) Of a bounded linear operator A, the set of scalar values λ such that the operator A—λI, where I denotes the identity operator, does not have a bounded inverse; intended as a generalisation of the linear algebra sense.
- This word needs a definition. Please help out and add a definition, then remove the text
{{rfdef}}.- 2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, New York Times:
- As Mr. Obama prepared to take the oath, his approval rating touched a remarkable 70 percent in some polling — a reflection of good will across the political spectrum.
- 2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, New York Times:
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
range
range of colors
chemistry: a pattern of absorption or emission of radiation
linear algebra: set of scalar values
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
Anagrams
Latin
Etymology
From speciō (“look at, behold”).
Pronunciation
Noun
spectrum (genitive spectrī); n, second declension
Inflection
| Number | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | spectrum | spectra |
| genitive | spectrī | spectrōrum |
| dative | spectrō | spectrīs |
| accusative | spectrum | spectra |
| ablative | spectrō | spectrīs |
| vocative | spectrum | spectra |