synchrotron

noun

syn·​chro·​tron ˈsiŋ-krə-ˌträn How to pronounce synchrotron (audio)
ˈsin-
1
: an apparatus for imparting very high speeds to charged particles by means of a combination of a high-frequency electric field and a low-frequency magnetic field
2
: synchrotron radiation

Examples of synchrotron in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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His team used a synchrotron — a machine that produces extremely powerful beams of light by accelerating electrons to very high speeds — to peer inside the rock without breaking it open. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026 Clements’ team examined the fossil using a synchrotron, a machine that produces extremely powerful beams of light by accelerating electrons to very high speeds. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026 The scans are made by synchrotron scanners, which are massive particle accelerators that can beam high-power x-rays at the object, revealing its inner layers down to the atomic level. — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 26 June 2026 Within a few years, however, the development of advanced synchrotron X-ray CT scanning allowed a path forward. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for synchrotron

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of synchrotron was in 1945

Phrases Containing synchrotron

Rhymes for synchrotron

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Browse Nearby Words

synchro-sunlight
synchrotron
synchrotron radiation
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Cite this Entry

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

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Medical Definition

synchrotron

noun
syn·​chro·​tron ˈsiŋ-krə-ˌträn, ˈsin- How to pronounce synchrotron (audio)
: an apparatus for imparting very high speeds to charged particles by means of a combination of a high-frequency electric field and a low-frequency magnetic field

More from Merriam-Webster on synchrotron

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about synchrotron

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