Bunsen

American  

[buhn-suhn, boon-zuhn] / ˈbʌn sən, ˈbʊn zən /

noun

1. Robert Wilhelm 1811–99, German chemist.

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Bunsen British  

/ ˈbʌnsən, ˈbʊnzən /

noun

1. Robert Wilhelm (ˈroːbɛrt ˈvɪlhɛlm). 1811–99, German chemist who with Kirchhoff developed spectrum analysis and discovered the elements caesium and rubidium. He invented the Bunsen burner and the ice calorimeter

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Bunsen Scientific  

/ bŭn′sən /

1. German chemist who with Gustav Kirchhoff developed the technique of spectroscopic analysis, leading to their discovery of the elements cesium and rubidium. Bunsen also invented various kinds of laboratory equipment, although the Bunsen burner itself was probably constructed on an earlier design by Michael Faraday.

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Example Sentences

Xavier Becerra did his best impression of the old Bunsen character from “The Muppet Show.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Throw on a lab coat, spark a Bunsen burner, and stay close to the eyewash station, but hopefully it won’t come to that.

From Barron's • Dec. 26, 2025

"It's quite a gruelling, difficult job. In the summer gets really hot because they're using burners, Bunsen burners… bombarders which kick out 100,000 volts of electricity," said Matthew.

From BBC • Oct. 28, 2023

Bunsen died at the age of 88 in 1899.

From Scientific American • Jul. 1, 2023

Hattie Mae looked up through safety goggles while Velma T. stood sentry over several beakers of clear liquid warming over Bunsen burners.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool