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photometry

American  
[foh-tom-i-tree] / foʊˈtɒm ɪ tri /

noun

  1. the measurement of the intensity of light or of relative illuminating power.

  2. the science dealing with such measurements.


photometry British  
/ fəʊˈtɒmɪtrɪ /

noun

  1. the measurement of the intensity of light

  2. the branch of physics concerned with such measurements

"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

photometry Scientific  
/ fō-tŏm′ĭ-trē /
  1. The measurement of the intensity, brightness, or other properties of light.

  2. Also called photometrics

  3. See also luminous intensity


Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of photometry

From the New Latin word photometria, dating back to 1815–25. See photo-, -metry


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

"A second visit to Eps Ind Ab with JWST: new photometry confirms ammonia and suggests thick clouds in the exoplanet atmosphere of the closest super-Jupiter" in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 22, 2026

Rather than let her continue with the spectra, he instead directed her to the field of standard photometry.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 22, 2023

Curious what the rodents’ brain activity might reveal, Hu and her colleagues turned to a technique called fiber photometry, a kind of brain-imaging and mind-control technique all in one.

From Science Magazine ● Jan. 27, 2023

One of the most tried-and-true methods of exoplanet hunting is called transit photometry, which is basically pointing a telescope at a star and measuring the light when a planet swings past.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2022

And photo-electric photometry, measuring smaller differences of light than any other method, and providing more accurate light-curves of the variable stars.

From Astronomy: The Science of the Heavenly Bodies by David Peck Todd

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