spectrograph

American  

[spek-truh-graf, -grahf] / ˈspɛk trəˌgræf, -ˌgrɑf /

noun

1. a spectroscope for photographing or producing a representation of a spectrum.

2. sound spectrograph.

---

spectrograph British  

/ ˈspɛktrəʊˌɡrɑːf, -ˌɡræf /

noun

1. a spectroscope or spectrometer that produces a photographic record ( spectrogram ) of a spectrum See also sound spectrograph

---

spectrograph Scientific  

/ spĕk′trə-grăf′ /

1. A photograph or computer image of a spectrum produced by a spectroscope.

2. Also called spectrogram

3. See spectroscope

---

Other Word Forms

• spectrographer noun
• spectrographic adjective
• spectrographically adverb
• spectrography noun

Etymology

Origin of spectrograph

First recorded in 1880–85; spectro- + -graph

Example Sentences

JWST's high resolution spectrograph allows scientists to examine exoplanet light without interference from molecules in Earth's atmosphere.

From Science Daily • Feb. 11, 2026

Now, Webb has completely revolutionized the search for galaxy neighborhoods because of an instrument called a wide-field slitless spectrograph.

From Salon • Sep. 12, 2023

The team had wanted to use an array of thousands of tiny switchable mirrors to deflect light from individual galaxies into a light-splitting spectrograph, gathering spectra from many galaxies at once.

From Science Magazine • Jun. 21, 2023

It’s packaged together with the NIRISS, which has a camera and a spectrograph to take images and spectra in the near-infrared range.

From Scientific American • Dec. 1, 2022

Lawrence donated the unfinished 184-inch to the bomb effort by converting it to a mass spectrograph for the separation of uranium isotopes.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik