hygroscope

American  

[hahy-gruh-skohp] / ˈhaɪ grəˌskoʊp /

noun

1. an instrument that indicates the approximate humidity of the air.

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hygroscope British  

/ ˈhaɪɡrəˌskəʊp /

noun

1. any device that indicates the humidity of the air without necessarily measuring it

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hygroscope Scientific  

/ hī′grə-skōp′ /

1. An instrument that records changes in atmospheric humidity. Unlike a hygrometer, a hygroscope only indicates a change in relative humidity, without measuring the magnitude of the change.

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Etymology

Origin of hygroscope

First recorded in 1655–65; hygro- + -scope

Example Sentences

In this way a small area of the surface of the earth is converted into a hygroscope, and these test surfaces tell us whether the ground is cooled to the dew-point or not.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 530, February 27, 1886 by Various

The third is, the hygroscope, moving the punch, which shews the difference between the moistest and driest airs.

From The Introduction of Self-Registering Meteorological Instruments by Multhauf, Robert P.