Spectrophotometric

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to the measurement of the intensity of light at different wavelengths to analyze the properties of substances often used in chemical or biological studies
2. Pertaining to a technique that quantifies how much light a sample absorbs across various colors or frequencies to determine composition or concentration
3. Connected with methods that assess light absorption spectra to identify and measure materials based on their interaction with electromagnetic radiation

Etymology: Spectrophotometric is a technical coinage built from two parts, and its history is a matter of modern laboratory science rather than an old word that changed meaning. The first part, "spectro-", comes from English "spectrum," which was borrowed from Latin "spectrum," meaning an appearance or image, from "specere," to look at. The second part, "photometric," is the adjective of "photometry," the measurement of light, formed from Greek roots meaning light and measure. The compound joins these two ideas: the spectrum, the band of colours or frequencies that light is split into, and the measurement of light intensity. Put together, the term describes the practice of measuring how much light a sample absorbs at each wavelength, which lets chemists identify what a substance is made of and how much of it is present.

Synonyms: spectroscopic, photometric

Antonyms: non-spectroscopic