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Glite Dictionary
sonobuoy

sonobuoy

1 9.9
A floating device that listens to underwater sounds and sends them to ships or planes
  • noun
  • /ˈsɒnəˌbɔɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sonoboya
  • The sonobuoy detected a submarine in the area.

Examples

  • The navy deployed a sonobuoy to track the movement of submarines in the area.

  • Researchers used a sonobuoy to record the sounds of whales migrating along the coast.

  • After detecting unusual noises, the team quickly launched a sonobuoy for further investigation.

  • Scientists deployed several sonobuoys for their research project.

  • The sonobuoy detected unusual underwater sounds and sent them back for analysis.

  • During the naval exercise, the crew deployed several sonobuoys to monitor marine activity.

  • The researchers used a sonobuoy to listen for whale calls in the ocean depths.

Synonyms

hydrophone
vssonobuoy
  • Specialized
4 7.9

A tool that records sounds under water, like whale songs

is a floating device that detects and sends underwater sound remotely

How Sensitive

hydrophone
  • Specialized
4 7.9
sonobuoy
  • Specialized
1 9.9

Surface Forms

sonobuoy singular
sonobuoys plural

Morphology

sonobuoy = buoy (semi-transparent) = sono + buoy + sono

The element 'sono-' denotes 'sound' and combined with 'buoy' yields the device's purpose, but 'sono-' is a technical combining form not a standalone word, so the relation may not be obvious to all learners.

Etymology

The word sonobuoy has two parts: sono- meaning 'sound', as in sonic or sonar, and buoy, a floating marker. So a sonobuoy is a floating 'sound' detector that listens for noises under the water.