ceilometer

[ see-lom-i-ter, si- ]

noun

1. an automatic device for measuring and recording the height of clouds by projecting a modulated beam of light onto a cloud base, receiving the reflection of light through a photoelectric apparatus, and computing the height by triangulation.

ceilometer

/ siːˈlɒmɪtə /

noun

1. a device for determining the cloud ceiling, esp by means of a reflected light beam

ceilometer

/ sē-lŏm′ĭ-tər /

1. An instrument for calculating the altitude of the lowest cloud layer in the sky. A ceilometer consists of a projector that shines an intense beam of light (usually laser light) at the cloud layer and a photoelectric cell that detects the light as it is reflected back. The distance between the projector and the photoelectric cell and the angle at which the light is detected are used to calculate the altitude of the cloud layer by triangulation; alternatively, the time required for the light to be reflected back to the detector may be used to measure the distance, as in radar.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ceilometer¹

First recorded in 1940–45; ceil(ing) + -o- + -meter

Word History and Origins

Origin of ceilometer¹

C20: from ceiling + -meter

Example Sentences

As a step on the path toward enhanced telemetry, Intel is working with the OpenStack Ceilometer project to enable access to—and interpretation of—the information provided by the telemetry data in the platform silicon.

From Forbes

Mortality of birds at the ceilometer of the Nashville airport.

From Project Gutenberg

Far worse are the ceilometer beams that measure the height of clouds above many airports.

From Time Magazine Archive