ScienceAugust 19, 2026

spectrometry

spek-TROM-i-tree

Definition

A scientific technique used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions, commonly used to identify and quantify chemical substances in a sample.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'spectrum' (appearance or image) and the Greek 'metron' (measure). It entered English in the late 19th century to describe the scientific measurement of spectra and particle masses.

In the news

In this article, spectrometry refers to mass spectrometry (LC-MS), a highly advanced analytical platform that has become so fast that it reveals the inefficiency of the manual sample preparation steps preceding it.

Automation Could Help Reduce LC-MS Sample Preparation Bottlenecks

Read the full article ↗

Technology Networks

Related words

adobe

A type of sun-dried building material made of clay, sand, and organic binders, often used…

Science

apophenia

The tendency to perceive meaningful connections and patterns within random, unrelated, or…

Science

banksia

A genus of Australian native trees and shrubs characterized by their unique, large, often…

Science

biogel

A gelatinous substance derived from biological materials that is engineered to absorb…

Science

bracts

Modified, leaf-like structures located at the base of a flower or flower cluster, which…

Science

ceratobranchial

A specific slender, rod-like bone found in the hyoid apparatus, which is the structure…

Science

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.