Skip to main content
thermometer

thermometer

74 3.0
A tool that tells you how hot or cold something is
  • noun
  • /θərˈmɑːmɪtər/
translation icon : termómetro
  • The Hawking temperature is the temperature seen by a thermometer far from the black hole.
  • thermometer measures temperature
  • digital thermometer
  • infrared thermometer

Except this was not the first such thermometer ever created.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Each patient had his or her own blood pressure cuff and thermometer beside the bed.

    Academic text (1996)
  • I think you should get a thermometer and get a scale.

  • If they were using a thermometer, this would never ever happen.

  • All right, so I'm going to try this thermometer out first.

  • I want to see what the temperature is on the thermometer on your back porch.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Yes, there he was, peering at the grill's thermometer with his glasses raised.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • He checked the temperature of the meat with a thermometer to ensure it was cooked properly.

  • To see how hot the water is, you should use a thermometer.

  • The doctor used a digital thermometer to measure the patient's fever.

Synonyms

meat thermometer
vsthermometer
4 2.9

A device you put into meat to check its inside temperature while cooking

is the general instrument not designed specifically for culinary internal readings
thermocouple
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
1 8.4

A device made of two different metal wires joined together that makes a small electric signal when temperatures differ

is the wider instrument type rather than that specific junction-based method
candy thermometer
vsthermometer
  • US
1 3.7

A small kitchen tool that measures sugar syrup temperature when making candy

is the general device not specialised for candy or syrup temperature stages
mercury thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Archaic
1 4.4

A glass tube with mercury that rises to show temperature

is the general instrument not tied to one specific liquid or design
oven thermometer
vsthermometer
1 3.2

A small tool that measures the temperature inside an oven

is the generic instrument for many settings, not only ovens
6.5

A glass tube containing mercury that rises to show temperature

is the broad device category, not limited to mercury or that display
alcohol thermometer
vsthermometer
4.3

A glass tube with alcohol that rises to show temperature

is the general device type rather than one that uses alcohol specifically
centigrade thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Archaic
3.9

A tool that shows temperature in degrees Celsius

is the general instrument, not restricted to a single temperature scale
Fahrenheit thermometer
vsthermometer
  • US
5.3

A device that shows temperature in degrees Fahrenheit

is the general instrument that can use many different temperature scales
electric thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
3.9

A device that measures temperature using electric signals

is the general measuring tool, not limited to electrical sensing methods
thermoelectric thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
7.9

A device that measures temperature using electricity created where two different metals join

is the general device not defined by joining different metals to read heat
thermel
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
9.9

A device that measures temperature using a small electric current

is the broad instrument class beyond devices that use thermoelectric effects
resistance thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
6.8

A tool that measures temperature by how easily electricity passes through a metal wire

is the general temperature instrument not limited to resistance-based sensing
platinum thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
6.4

A tool that measures temperature using a platinum wire that changes how electricity flows when heated

is the general measuring instrument rather than that precise metallic method
gas thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
4.9

A thermometer that measures temperature by the pressure change of a gas in a fixed space

is the general device type rather than that gas pressure measurement method
air thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
5.9

A device that measures temperature by sensing pressure changes in trapped air

is the broader instrument category, not restricted to gas pressure techniques
dry-bulb thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
6.5

A device that measures air temperature with a dry bulb

is the general measuring instrument, not only for dry air readings
thermohydrometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
9.9

An instrument that measures a liquid's density and temperature

focuses only on temperature measurement rather than also testing density
thermogravimeter
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
9.9

An instrument that measures a liquid's temperature and how heavy it is for its size

is the simpler device solely for indicating temperature, not multiple measures
thermometrograph
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
9.9

A device that records temperature changes over time on a graph

is the general instrument that may not record readings automatically
self-registering thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
6.3

A device that records temperature by itself without someone watching it

is the basic measuring tool that normally requires manual reading
maximum and minimum thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
6.0

A thermometer that records the highest and lowest temperatures over time

is the standard instrument that typically shows current temperature rather than extremes
telethermometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
9.9

A tool that measures temperature from far away

is the general measuring device used at the measurement point rather than remotely
reversing thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
9.8

An instrument that measures water temperature deep in the sea

is the general instrument not specialised for deep water measurement
Réaumur thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Archaic
9.9

An alcohol thermometer that measures temperature in degrees Réaumur and was used long ago

is the general instrument using modern scales rather than that historical one
cryometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
9.9

A device that measures very low temperatures

is the general device covering ordinary temperature ranges, not extreme lows
Beckman thermometer
vsthermometer
  • Specialized
8.1

A mercury thermometer that measures very small changes in temperature

is the broader instrument not necessarily tuned for tiny experimental changes
clinical thermometer
vsthermometer
4.1

A small device for measuring a person's body temperature

is the general measuring instrument not limited to human body use
5.8

A glass tube with mercury that measures body temperature

is the broader tool for any temperature measurement beyond clinical ranges

Compounds

A device you put into meat to check its inside temperature while cooking

A small kitchen tool that measures sugar syrup temperature when making candy

1 4.4

A glass tube with mercury that rises to show temperature

A small tool that measures the temperature inside an oven

Beckman thermometer
  • Specialized
8.1

A mercury thermometer that measures very small changes in temperature

A tool that shows temperature in degrees Celsius

A small device for measuring a person's body temperature

dry-bulb thermometer
  • Specialized
6.5

A device that measures air temperature with a dry bulb

electric thermometer
  • Specialized
3.9

A device that measures temperature using electric signals

air thermometer
  • Specialized
5.9

A device that measures temperature by sensing pressure changes in trapped air

A glass tube with alcohol that rises to show temperature

A glass thermometer with alcohol that rises when it gets warm and falls when it gets cold

A device that shows temperature in degrees Fahrenheit

A thermometer that records the highest and lowest temperatures over time

A glass tube with mercury that measures body temperature

A glass tube containing mercury that rises to show temperature

gas thermometer
  • Specialized
4.9

A thermometer that measures temperature by the pressure change of a gas in a fixed space

9.9

An alcohol thermometer that measures temperature in degrees Réaumur and was used long ago

6.8

A tool that measures temperature by how easily electricity passes through a metal wire

reversing thermometer
  • Specialized
9.8

An instrument that measures water temperature deep in the sea

platinum thermometer
  • Specialized
6.4

A tool that measures temperature using a platinum wire that changes how electricity flows when heated

A device that records temperature by itself without someone watching it

7.9

A device that measures temperature using electricity created where two different metals join

wet-bulb thermometer
  • Specialized
7.2

A small tool with a bulb covered in a wet cloth used to measure humidity

How Precise

thermometer
74 3.0
mercury thermometer
  • Archaic
1 4.4

Surface Forms

thermometer singular
thermometers plural

Morphology

thermometer = meter (transparent) = thermo + meter

The word is transparently built from thermo- 'heat' plus meter 'measuring instrument', giving the meaning 'instrument for measuring temperature'.

Etymology

The word thermometer comes from two Greek parts: thermo- meaning 'heat' and -meter meaning 'measure', the same idea you see in thermal and speedometer. So a thermometer is literally a tool to 'measure heat', which is why we use it to check temperature.