ultracentrifuge
- noun
- /ˌʌltrəˈsɛntrɪˌfjuːdʒ/
- Specialized
:
ultracentrífuga
Examples
-
"You know, Alex?" She was suddenly serene, staring out across the benches and glassware and the ultracentrifuges.
Fiction book (1994) -
It seems to me that a manuscript that uses improper statistics belongs in the same class as one that uses improper techniques for zinc analysis, for operating an analytical ultracentrifuge, or for constructing a new genetic vector.
Academic text (1993) -
The researcher used the ultracentrifuge to separate proteins based on their size and density.
-
In the laboratory, the ultracentrifuge spun the samples at high speeds to analyze their molecular components.
-
For accurate results, the scientists ensured that the ultracentrifuge was properly calibrated before beginning their experiments.
Synonyms
32
7.1
A machine that spins quickly to separate different parts of a liquid
How Fast
- Specialized
- Specialized
32
7.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
ultracentrifuge = centrifuge (semi-transparent) = ultra + centrifuge
The meaning is directly compositional from ultra- plus centrifuge, though the term is specialized scientific vocabulary.
Etymology
Ultracentrifuge combines ultra- meaning 'beyond' or 'extreme' and centrifuge, which comes from center plus a piece meaning 'to move away'. So an ultracentrifuge is a very powerful spinning machine that pushes tiny parts away from the center so they can be separated.