loran

or Lo·ran

[lawr-an, lohr-]

noun

a system of long-range navigation whereby the latitude and longitude of a ship or airplane are determined from the time displacement between radio signals from two or more fixed transmitters.

Origin of loran

1940–45, Americanism; lo(ng) ra(nge) n(avigation)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for loran

Historical Examples of loran

It had been mentioned last night—a loran fix on the Esperance's position.
Creatures of the Abyss
Murray Leinster
After trying for years to simplify the code, the council members called in Loran Krovalo to fill a vacancy and take over the job.
The Ethical Way
Joseph Farrell
This couple, like Jarro Kogar and his wife, were childless and when they both died, Loran and his wife were very grieved.
The Ethical Way
Joseph Farrell
Loran left the center and moved to another city where he found a galactic couple who wanted a slave.
The Ethical Way
Joseph Farrell
Loran was known and liked by galactic and slave alike for his brilliant essays on the master-slave relationship.
The Ethical Way
Joseph Farrell

British Dictionary definitions for loran

loran

noun

a radio navigation system operating over long distances. Synchronized pulses are transmitted from widely spaced radio stations to aircraft or shipping, the time of arrival of the pulses being used to determine position

Word Origin for loran

C20: lo (ng-) ra (nge) n (avigation)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for loran

1940, a word invented from initial letters in long-range navigation.

loran in Science

loran

[lôr′ăn′]

A long-range navigational system, in which a receiver's position is determined by an analysis involving the time intervals between pulsed radio signals from two or more pairs of ground stations of known position. The difference in the timing of the received signals corresponds to differences in distance from the transmitters, and the position of the receiver can be calculated by triangulation. Compare Global Positioning System.