detector
A device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon, and that optionally sounds an alarm or triggers a warning.
Example
“Smoke detectors are mandatory in public buildings.”
Other meanings
An indicator showing the depth of the water in a boiler.
A galvanometer, usually portable, for indicating the direction of a current.
Related words
- autodetector
- biodetector
- duct detector
- CO detector
- cryodetector
- detectorism
- detectorless
- fluorodetector
- geodetector
- microdetector
- multidetector
- photodetector
Word history
From Latin "dētēctor".
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “detector” on Wiktionary, by its contributors, published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.