thermocouple

T1H4E1R1M3O1C3O1U1P3L1E1

noun

A transducer consisting of two different metals welded together at each end; a voltage is produced that is proportional to the difference in temperature between the two junctions (one of which is normally held at a known temperature)

Similar
thermocouple junction
OriginEnglish couple ← Ancient Greek θερμός (thermós) ← Proto-Hellenic *kʷʰermós →
Less commonScrabble 21
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Meanings

nounthermocouple (plural thermocouples)

plural thermocouples

  1. A transducer consisting of two different metals welded together at each end; a voltage is produced that is proportional to the difference in temperature between the two junctions (one of which is normally held at a known temperature)

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna kind of thermometer consisting of two wires of different metals that are joined at both ends; one junction is at the temperature to be measured and the other is held at a fixed lower temperature; the current generated in the circuit is proportional to the temperature difference

Similar
thermocouple junction
Broader
thermometer
Also see
thermocoupler

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*gʷʰer-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*gʷʰermos
  3. Proto-Hellenic*kʷʰermós
  4. Ancient Greekθερμός (thermós)
  5. Englishthermo-
  6. Englishcouple
  7. Englishthermocouple

From thermo- + couple.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian термодвойка
  • термодвойка (termodvojka)type of transducer
Chinese Mandarin 熱電偶 /热电偶
  • 熱電偶 /热电偶 (rèdiàn'ǒu)type of transducer
Finnish lämpösähköpari, termoelementti
  • lämpösähköparitype of transducer
  • termoelementtitype of transducer
French thermocouple
  • thermocoupletype of transducer
German Thermoelement
  • Thermoelementtype of transducer
Greek θερμοζεύγος
  • θερμοζεύγος (thermozévgos)type of transducer
Irish teirmeachúpla
  • teirmeachúplatype of transducer
Italian termocoppia
  • termocoppiatype of transducer
Japanese 熱電対
  • 熱電対 (netsudentsui)type of transducer
Korean 열전대
  • 열전대 (yeoljeondae)type of transducer
Portuguese termopar
  • termopartype of transducer
Romanian termocuplu
  • termocuplutype of transducer
Spanish termocupla, termopar
  • termocuplatype of transducer
  • termopartype of transducer
Swedish termoelement, termokors
  • termoelementtype of transducer
  • termokorstype of transducer
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“thermocouple.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thermocouple. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “thermocouple,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thermocouple.

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