densitometer
|den-si-tom-e-ter|
🇺🇸
/ˌdɛnsɪˈtɑːmɪtər/
🇬🇧
/ˌdɛn.sɪˈtɒm.ɪtə/
measure density
Etymology
'densitometer' originates from modern English formation combining 'density' (from Latin 'densitas') and the Greek-derived suffix '-meter' (from 'metron'), where 'density' referred to compactness and 'metron' meant 'measure'.
'density' came into English via Latin 'densitas' (from 'densus' meaning 'thick, compact'), while the element '-meter' derives from Greek 'metron' ('measure') through New Latin/modern scientific coinage; these parts combined in modern English to form 'densitometer'.
Initially coined to mean 'an instrument for measuring density' in scientific/technical contexts, and it has retained that specialized meaning.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an instrument that measures the optical density (darkness or opacity) of a material or surface, commonly used in photography, printing, radiography, and materials testing.
The technician calibrated the densitometer before measuring the film's optical density.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/17 20:37