polarimeter

[ poh-luh-rim-i-ter ]

noun

, Optics.

1. an instrument for measuring the amount of light received from a given source as a function of its state of polarization.
2. a form of polariscope for measuring the angular rotation of the plane of polarization.

polarimeter

/ ˌpəʊləˈrɪmɪtə; ˌpəʊlərɪˈmɛtrɪk /

noun

1. an instrument for measuring the amount of polarization of light
2. an instrument for measuring the rotation of the plane of polarization of light as a result of its passage through a liquid or solution See optical activity

Derived Forms

• ˌpolarˈimetry, noun
• polarimetric, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of polarimeter¹

1860–65; < Medieval Latin polāri ( s ) polar + -meter

Example Sentences

They'll have a polarimeter to examine the directional quality of the corona's light and a spectrometer to look for the behaviour of excited iron atoms.

From BBC

“If we look at clouds and see polarization, that would be a smoking gun,” says astrophysicist Philip Kaaret of the University of Iowa, who worked on a rival polarimeter proposal that lost out to IXPE.

From Science Magazine

On a 2010 episode of The History Channel show, he saw a polarimeter.

From Washington Times

Glucose may be estimated by means of the polarimeter, i.e. by determining the rotation of the plane of polarization of a solution, or, chemically, by taking advantage of its property of reducing alkaline copper solutions.

From Project Gutenberg

Nevertheless, by using the spectroscope and the polarimeter, I ascertained that this light did not appear to differ perceptibly from the natural light diffused by a white surface.

From Project Gutenberg