velocimeter

American  

[vee-loh-sim-uh-ter, vel-oh-] / ˌvi loʊˈsɪm ə tər, ˌvɛl oʊ- /

noun

1. any of various instruments for measuring velocity, as of a wave in water or of sound in air.

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velocimeter Scientific  

/ vē′lō-sĭm′ĭ-tər,vĕl′ō- /

1. A device that utilizes the Doppler effect to measure the speed of sound in water. Developed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, a velocimeter transmits a pulse of sound through water and measures its echo for changes in either pitch or frequency. Oceanographers employ velocimeters to study the interior structure of breaking waves; they are also used in hydraulic engineering and to study fluid flow.

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Etymology

Origin of velocimeter

First recorded in 1842; veloci(ty) + -meter

Example Sentences

It was at Powick, too, in a physical and social environment that suited him, that Spencer invented his "Velocimeter," a little instrument for showing by inspection the velocity of an engine, and two or three other devices.

From Project Gutenberg