dual-wavelength
|du-al-wave-length|
🇺🇸
/ˌduːəl ˈweɪvˌlɛŋkθ/
🇬🇧
/ˌdjuːəl ˈweɪvˌleŋθ/
two wavelengths
Etymology
'dual-wavelength' originates from Modern English, formed from the adjective 'dual' (from Latin 'dualis') and the noun 'wavelength' (from 'wave' + 'length'), where 'duo' in Latin meant 'two' and the Old English roots for 'wave' and 'length' meant 'moving water' and 'extent/measurement', respectively.
'dual' comes from Latin 'dualis' (related to 'duo' meaning 'two') and passed into modern English with the meaning 'consisting of two'; 'wavelength' was coined by compounding 'wave' (Old English 'wæġ') and 'length' (Old English 'lengðu') in scientific usage. The compound 'dual-wavelength' arose in technical and scientific contexts in the 20th century to describe systems using two wavelengths.
Initially the components meant 'two' (for 'dual') and 'extent of a wave' (for 'wavelength'); combined in technical contexts the compound has consistently meant 'involving two wavelengths' and has retained that specific technical sense.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a device or system that employs two different wavelengths (often for measurement, imaging, or communication).
They installed a dual-wavelength on-line monitor to track both wavelengths simultaneously.
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Adjective 1
having or operating at two distinct wavelengths; using two wavelengths simultaneously or alternately.
The lab used a dual-wavelength laser for simultaneous excitation at two bands.
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Last updated: 2025/09/11 05:55