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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

thermometer

thuh-MOM-ih-tuh
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Thermometer (noun) means an instrument used to measure temperature. Example: “She checked his temperature with a digital thermometer.”

noun
1
An instrument used to measure temperature.
"The brothers had thrust the thermometer between two circuit boards in order to look for hot spots inside m zero. The thermometer’s dial was marked “Beef Rare—Ham—Beef Med—Pork.” “You want to keep the machine below ‘Pork,’” Gregory remarked." — Richard Preston, The Mountains of Pi (1992)
"There are, of course, smart speakers (which roughly a quarter of American homes have) and smart thermostats, as well as smart thermometers, smart mattress covers, smart coffee makers, smart doorbells, and even, yes, smart toasters." — Joe Pinsker, The Coming Commodification of Life at Home (2018)
"She checked his temperature with a digital thermometer."

How to use thermometer

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA device that tells you how hot or cold something is.

Common pairings
digital thermometer read the thermometer
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Word forms

Plural
thermometers
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Fill the gap

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She checked his temperature with a digital _____.

Etymology

From French thermometre, built from thermo- ("heat") plus -meter ("measure").

Origin: French

Rhymes for thermometer

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Frequently asked questions

What does “thermometer” mean?
The word “thermometer” means an instrument used to measure temperature. In plain terms, a device that tells you how hot or cold something is.
How do you pronounce “thermometer”?
“Thermometer” is pronounced thuh-MOM-ih-tuh (/θɚˈmɑ.mɪ.tɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “thermometer” in a sentence?
Here is “thermometer” used in a sentence: “She checked his temperature with a digital thermometer.”
What part of speech is “thermometer”?
“Thermometer” is a noun.
Where does the word “thermometer” come from?
The word “thermometer” comes from French. From French thermometre, built from thermo- ("heat") plus -meter ("measure").
Is “thermometer” a common word?
“Thermometer” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.