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sounder

1 American  
[soun-der] / ˈsaʊn dər /

noun

  1. a person or thing that makes a sound or noise, or sounds something.

  2. Telegraphy. an instrument for receiving telegraphic impulses that emits the sounds from which the message is read.


sounder 2 American  
[soun-der] / ˈsaʊn dər /

noun

  1. a person or thing that sounds depth, as of water.


sounder 1 British  
/ ˈsaʊndə /

noun

  1. an electromagnetic device formerly used in telegraphy to convert electric signals sent over wires into audible sounds

"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

sounder 2 British  
/ ˈsaʊndə /

noun

  1. a person or device that measures the depth of water, etc

"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

Etymology

Origin of sounder1

First recorded in 1585–95; sound 1 + -er 1

Origin of sounder2

First recorded in 1565–75; sound 3 + -er 1

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.

For this, Olsen turned to the Mars Climate Sounder instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to measure the extent of the vortex via temperature measurements.

From Science Daily • Oct. 19, 2025

Last spring the transit board approved contracts with four security firms to patrol the stations, areas around the stations, the train cars themselves and the Sounder.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 3, 2024

An upgraded Cascades and Sounder extension to Lacey can induce I-5 drivers to shift to passenger rail to avert this egregious climate mistake.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 27, 2023

Stefan Frei will be in goal for the Sounders for at least two more years, according to a report Wednesday by Sounder At Heart.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 15, 2023

Maybe Sounder had pushed with his hind feet and dug a hole into which he had settled.

From "Sounder" by William H. Armstrong