thermometer: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to formal
Quick answer
What does “thermometer” mean?
An instrument for measuring temperature, typically using a sealed tube containing a fluid (like mercury or alcohol) that expands or contracts in response to heat changes.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An instrument for measuring temperature, typically using a sealed tube containing a fluid (like mercury or alcohol) that expands or contracts in response to heat changes.
Any device or system used to gauge the level or intensity of something, often metaphorically (e.g., "public opinion is a thermometer for political success").
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical differences. Spelling is identical. Pronunciation differs slightly (see IPA).
Connotations
Identical connotations of measurement, precision, and science/health.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties, with high frequency in medical, scientific, and domestic contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “thermometer” in a Sentence
VERB + thermometer: use/read/check/insert/calibrate a thermometerADJECTIVE + thermometer: digital/clinical/accurate/infraredthermometer + VERB: reads/shows/indicates/registers (a temperature)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “thermometer” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- To thermometrise (rare/archaic) - to measure with a thermometer.
American English
- To thermometer (non-standard, very rare) - as in 'to thermometer the patient'.
adverb
British English
- Thermometrically - in a manner relating to temperature measurement.
American English
- Thermometrically - as measured by a thermometer.
adjective
British English
- Thermometric - relating to thermometers or thermometry.
American English
- Thermometric - relating to measurement of temperature.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in specific industries (e.g., "The sales figures are a good thermometer of market demand.")
Academic
Common in scientific, medical, and engineering texts describing experimental apparatus or clinical tools.
Everyday
Very common in domestic and health-related contexts (e.g., checking for a fever, cooking).
Technical
Precise term for a class of temperature-measuring devices, with subtypes (resistance thermometer, bimetallic thermometer).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “thermometer”
Strong
Neutral
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “thermometer”
- Misspelling: 'termometer', 'thermameter'.
- Mispronunciation: placing stress on the first syllable (/ˈθɜː.mə.miː.tə/).
- Using 'thermometer' for devices measuring things other than temperature (e.g., pressure).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A thermometer measures and displays temperature. A thermostat is a device that uses a thermometer (often internal) to maintain a set temperature by controlling a heating or cooling system.
Yes, it's commonly used to describe something that gauges the level or intensity of an abstract quality, e.g., 'Social media can be a thermometer for public opinion.'
In British English: /θəˈmɒm.ɪ.tə/ (thuh-MOM-i-tuh). In American English: /θɚˈmɑː.mə.t̬ɚ/ (thur-MAH-muh-ter). The stress is on the second syllable.
Due to the toxicity of mercury, which is hazardous if the thermometer breaks. Digital, alcohol-based, and infrared thermometers are now preferred for safety and convenience.
An instrument for measuring temperature, typically using a sealed tube containing a fluid (like mercury or alcohol) that expands or contracts in response to heat changes.
Thermometer is usually neutral to formal in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A thermometer of something: a reliable indicator of the state or level of something.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: THERMO (heat) + METER (measure) = a heat measurer.
Conceptual Metaphor
MEASUREMENT IS TEMPERATURE (e.g., "The poll is a thermometer of public sentiment.")
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a typical function of a thermometer?