spectroscopy

spec·tros·co·py
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UK/spɛkˈtɹɒs.kə.piː/Canada, US/spɛkˈtɹɑs.kə.pi/Canada/spɛkˈtɹɒs.kə.pi/Australia/spekˈtɹɔs.kə.piː/

noun

The scientific study of spectra.

Similar
spectrometryspectroscopic analysisspectrum analysisspectrographic analysis
OriginAncient Greek σκοπέω (skopéō) ← Proto-Hellenic *sképt͏̌omai ← Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti →
CommonScrabble 23
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Meanings

nounspectroscopy (countable and uncountable, plural spectroscopies)

plural spectroscopies

  1. uncountableastronomyThe scientific study of spectra.
  2. countableanalytical chemistryThe use of spectrometers in chemical analysis.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe use of spectroscopes to analyze spectra

Similar
spectrometryspectroscopic analysisspectrum analysisspectrographic analysis
Broader
chemical analysisqualitative analysis
Also see
spectrometry

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*speḱ-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*spéḱyeti
  3. Proto-Italic*spekjō
  4. Latinspeciō
  5. Latinspectrum
  6. Englishspectrum
  7. Englishspectro-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*spéḱyeti
  9. Proto-Hellenic*sképt͏̌omai
  10. Ancient Greekσκέπτομαι (sképtomai)
  11. Ancient Greekσκοπός (skopós)
  12. Ancient Greekσκοπέω (skopéō)
  13. Englishspectroscopy

From spectro- + -scopy.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan espectroscòpia
  • espectroscòpiascientific study of spectra
Chinese Cantonese 光譜學 /光谱学
  • 光譜學 /光谱学 (gwong¹ pou² hok⁶)scientific study of spectra
Chinese Mandarin 光譜學 /光谱学
  • 光譜學 /光谱学 (guāngpǔxué)scientific study of spectra
Czech spektroskopie
  • spektroskopiescientific study of spectra
Dutch spectroscopie
  • spectroscopiescientific study of spectra
Finnish spektroskopia
  • spektroskopiascientific study of spectra
French spectroscopie
  • spectroscopiescientific study of spectra
German Spektroskopie
  • Spektroskopiescientific study of spectra
Italian spettroscopia
  • spettroscopiascientific study of spectra
Japanese 分光法, 分光学
  • 分光法 (bunkōhō)scientific study of spectra
  • 分光学 (bunkōgaku)scientific study of spectra
Korean 분광학
  • 분광학 (bun'gwanghak)scientific study of spectra
Malay spektroskopi
  • spektroskopiscientific study of spectra
Persian طیفبینی
  • طیفبینی (teyf-bini)scientific study of spectra
Polish spektroskopia
  • spektroskopiascientific study of spectra
Romanian spectroscopie
  • spectroscopiescientific study of spectra
Russian спектроско́пия
  • спектроско́пия (spektroskópija)scientific study of spectra
Swedish spektroskopi
  • spektroskopiscientific study of spectra
Tagalog balngawsipatan
  • balngawsipatanscientific study of spectra
Tamil நிறமாலையியல்
  • நிறமாலையியல் (niṟamālaiyiyal)scientific study of spectra
Ukrainian спектроскопі́я
  • спектроскопі́я (spektroskopíja)scientific study of spectra
Vietnamese quang phổ học, phân quang học
  • quang phổ họcscientific study of spectra
  • phân quang họcscientific study of spectra
Cite this entry
APA

spectroscopy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spectroscopy

MLA

“spectroscopy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spectroscopy. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “spectroscopy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spectroscopy.

Source: spectroscopy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.