spectral line

noun

a dark or bright line in an otherwise continuous spectrum caused by the absorption or emission of light, at a single wavelength, by the movement of electrons between energy levels of an atom or molecule

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Meanings

nounspectral line (plural spectral lines)

plural spectral lines

  1. natural sciencesa dark or bright line in an otherwise continuous spectrum caused by the absorption or emission of light, at a single wavelength, by the movement of electrons between energy levels of an atom or molecule

Translations

Finnish spektriviiva
  • spektriviivaline on spectrogram
German Spektrallinie
  • Spektrallinieline on spectrogram
Cite this entry
APA

spectral line. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spectral%20line

MLA

“spectral line.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spectral%20line. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “spectral line,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spectral%20line.

Source: spectral line on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.