etalon

[ eyt-l-on ]

nounOptics.
  1. an interferometer consisting of two glass plates that reflect approximately half of each ray of light incident upon them and that are separated by a small, fixed distance: used to compare wavelengths and to study atomic spectra.

Origin of etalon

1
1900–05; <French; Middle French estalon standard, derivative of Old French estal place <Germanic; see stall1

Words Nearby etalon

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British Dictionary definitions for etalon

etalon

/ (ˈɛtəˌlɒn) /


noun
  1. physics a device used in spectroscopy to measure wavelengths by interference effects produced by multiple reflections between parallel half-silvered glass or quartz plates

Origin of etalon

1
C20: French étalon a fixed standard of weights and measures, from Old French estalon; see also stallion

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