spirometer

noun

spi·​rom·​e·​ter spī-ˈrä-mə-tər How to pronounce spirometer (audio)
: an instrument for measuring the air entering and leaving the lungs (as in determining lung function in the diagnosis of pulmonary disease)
spirometric
ˌspī-rə-ˈme-trik How to pronounce spirometer (audio)
adjective
spirometry
spī-ˈrä-mə-trē How to pronounce spirometer (audio)
noun

Examples of spirometer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lastly a device known as a spirometer measures the volume of gas expelled by the lungs on each breath, to monitor breathing patterns. — The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 24 Mar. 2020 In the games used in the study, which were built by students at Champlain College in Vermont, a device for measuring lung capacity called a spirometer is used as a controller. — Veronique Greenwood, Discover Magazine, 2 May 2011

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary spiro- (from Latin spirare to breathe) + -meter

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spirometer was in 1809

Rhymes for spirometer

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“Spirometer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirometer. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

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Medical Definition

spirometer

noun
spi·​rom·​e·​ter spi-ˈräm-ət-ər How to pronounce spirometer (audio)
: an instrument used in spirometry for measuring the air entering and leaving the lungs
spirometric
ˌspī-rə-ˈme-trik How to pronounce spirometer (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on spirometer

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spirometer

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