hygrometer

[ hahy-grom-i-ter ]

noun

1. any instrument for measuring the water-vapor content of the atmosphere.

hygrometer

/ ˌhaɪɡrəˈmɛtrɪk; haɪˈɡrɒmɪtə /

noun

1. any of various instruments for measuring humidity

hygrometer

/ hī-grŏm′ĭ-tər /

1. Any of several instruments that measure humidity. The most common type of hygrometer consists of two, side-by-side mercury or electronic thermometers, one of which has a dry bulb, and one of which has a bulb wrapped with a wet cotton or linen wick. As water evaporates from the wet bulb, it absorbs heat from the thermometer, driving down its temperature reading. The difference in temperature between the two thermometers is then used to calculate the relative humidity. This type of hygrometer is also called a psychrometer. Other hygrometers make use of the temperatures at which dew forms and disappears to calculate the relative humidity. Older hygrometers used the length of a strand of hair, which stretches when it absorbs moisture, to measure relative humidity.

Derived Forms

• hygrometric, adjective
• ˌhygroˈmetrically, adverb
• hyˈgrometry, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hygrometer¹

First recorded in 1660–70; hygro- + -meter

Example Sentences

The thread thus forms an excellent hygrometer, which is constantly under the eye of the observer.

From Project Gutenberg

O for a big double-barreled hygrometer,To measure this moisture that rolls from my brow!

From Project Gutenberg

The two thus combined making a hygrometer: for which some kinds of hair, grass, or seaweed may be a make-shift.

From Project Gutenberg

The dew-point determination is, however, not as convenient to make as the wet-and-dry-bulb hygrometer readings.

From Project Gutenberg

Therefore, the hygrometer (convex) curves are ordinarily more useful in determining relative humidities.

From Project Gutenberg