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oscillograph

oscillograph

9.9
A tool that shows and records changing electric signals on a screen
  • noun
  • /ˈɑsɪləˌgræf/
  • Specialized
translation icon : oscilógrafo
  • The oscillograph showed a normal sine curve.

Examples

  • "Give it to me." Circumbright clipped leads from an oscillograph to the back of the tuner, dialed to the spy-beetle's carrier frequency.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • "He worked fifteen minutes, then suddenly the carrier wave on the face of the oscillograph vanished.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The room was dark except for the dancing light of the oscillograph and the dull red murk from the infrared projector.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The oscillograph displayed a clear waveform of the electrical signal.

  • Using the oscillograph, the engineer analyzed the fluctuations in voltage.

  • The scientist recorded the data on an oscillograph to study the wave patterns.

Synonyms

scope
vsoscillograph
  • Specialized
39 7.9

An electronic tool that shows electrical signals on a screen

is more specific, aimed at recording detailed waveform shapes over time
oscilloscope
vsoscillograph
  • Specialized
5 8.7

A machine that shows electrical signals as lines on a screen

focuses more on recording waveform traces of fluctuating voltages or currents
CRO
vsoscillograph
  • Specialized
1 8.4

A device that shows electrical signals as moving waves on a screen

emphasizes capturing and storing traces, not just visual observation
cathode-ray oscilloscope
vsoscillograph
  • Archaic
8.2

An electronic device that shows changing electrical signals as lines on a screen using a tube

is broader and focuses on recording waveforms, not only CRT display

How Capable

oscilloscope
  • Specialized
5 8.7
oscillograph
  • Specialized
9.9
recorder
177 2.6
meter
127 3.2

Surface Forms

oscillograph singular
oscillographs plural

Morphology

oscillograph = oscillate (semi-transparent) = oscill + graph

The word is a technical formation built from an oscill- stem and '-graph' 'recording instrument', but the exact instrument sense is not fully predictable for an average learner.

Etymology

Oscillograph comes from Latin oscillare ('to swing') and -graph ('to write' or 'record'), the same -graph you see in autograph. So an oscillograph is a machine that 'records' the swinging or wave-like changes in electrical signals, letting people see fast changes in voltage.