goniometer

1 of 2

noun (1)

go·​ni·​om·​e·​ter ˌgō-nē-ˈä-mə-tər How to pronounce goniometer (audio)
1
: an instrument for measuring angles
2
: direction finder
goniometric
ˌgō-nē-ə-ˈme-trik How to pronounce goniometer (audio)
adjective
goniometry
ˌgō-nē-ˈä-mə-trē How to pronounce goniometer (audio)
noun

goniometry

2 of 2

noun (2)

go·​ni·​om·​e·​try ˌgōnēˈämə‧trē How to pronounce goniometry (audio)
plural -es
: measurement of angles

Examples of goniometer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
The setup gave surprisingly good image quality, for not only beauty pictures of chips but also for examining features with dimensions of a few micrometers, and even as a digital goniometer for measuring contact angles. — IEEE Spectrum, 24 Apr. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Greek gōnia angle

Noun (2)

French goniométrie, from gonio- goni- + -métrie -metry

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1766, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of goniometer was in 1766

Rhymes for goniometer

See All Rhymes for goniometer

Browse Nearby Words

Goniodes
goniometer
goniometric
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Cite this Entry

“Goniometer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goniometer. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

goniometer

noun
go·​ni·​om·​e·​ter ˌgō-nē-ˈäm-ət-ər How to pronounce goniometer (audio)
: an instrument for measuring angles (as of a joint or the skull)
goniometric
-nē-ə-ˈme-trik How to pronounce goniometer (audio)
adjective
goniometry
-ˈäm-ə-trē How to pronounce goniometer (audio)
noun
plural goniometries
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