scanner
scanner Lexical Profile
scanner Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An electronic device that optically reads and converts physical documents, photographs, or barcodes into digital data.
"She placed the old photograph on the glass of the scanner to create a digital backup."
A medical instrument or machine that uses radiation, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance to capture internal images of the human body for diagnostic purposes.
"The patient was carefully slid into the MRI scanner to check for tissue damage."
A radio receiver that automatically tunes through a specific sequence of frequencies to intercept signals, often used to monitor emergency or police broadcasts.
"The local journalist kept a police scanner running on his desk to hear about breaking news events in real time."
• Rhymes for scanner
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed from the verb 'scan' (from Late Latin 'scandere', originally meaning to climb, later to analyze verse) combined with the agent suffix '-er'. Its technological usage emerged in the mid-20th century.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.