Meanings
nounphotomultiplier (plural photomultipliers)
plural photomultipliers
- natural sciencesA device, normally in the form of a tube, that uses a photocathode to convert photons into photoelectrons which are then amplified.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰéh₂os
- Proto-Hellenic*pʰáwos
- Ancient Greekφᾰ́ος (phắos)
- Ancient Greekφῶς (phôs)
- Ancient Greekφωτο- (phōto-)
- Englishphoto-
- Englishmultiple
- Proto-Indo-European*leyg-
- Proto-Germanic*līką
- Englishmultiply
- Englishmultiplier
- Englishphotomultiplier
From photo- + multiplier.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 光電倍增管 /光电倍增管
- 光電倍增管 /光电倍增管 (guāngdiàn bèizēngguǎn)device that uses a photocathode
Irish fóta-iolróir
- fóta-iolróirdevice that uses a photocathode
Italian fotomoltiplicatore
- fotomoltiplicatoredevice that uses a photocathode
Japanese 光電子増倍管
- 光電子増倍管 (kōdenshi zōbaikan)device that uses a photocathode
Korean 광전 증폭관
- 광전 증폭관 (gwangjeon jeungpokgwan)device that uses a photocathode
Polish fotopowielacz
- fotopowielaczdevice that uses a photocathode
Portuguese fotomultiplicador
- fotomultiplicadordevice that uses a photocathode
Spanish fotomultiplicador
- fotomultiplicadordevice that uses a photocathode
Vietnamese đèn nhân quang điện
- đèn nhân quang điệndevice that uses a photocathode
Cite this entry
APA
photomultiplier. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photomultiplier
MLA
“photomultiplier.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photomultiplier. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “photomultiplier,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photomultiplier.
Source: photomultiplier on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.