variometer

American  

[vair-ee-om-i-ter] / ˌvɛər iˈɒm ɪ tər /

noun

1. Electricity. an instrument for measuring inductance, consisting essentially of an inductor with two or more coils whose relative position may be changed to vary the inductance.

2. an instrument for indicating a change in a component of a magnetic field vector, especially one related to the earth's magnetic field.

3. Aeronautics. an instrument that indicates the rate of climb or descent.

---

variometer British  

/ ˌvɛərɪˈɒmɪtə /

noun

1. an instrument for measuring variations in a magnetic field, used esp for studying the magnetic field of the earth

2. electronics a variable inductor consisting of a movable coil mounted inside and connected in series with a fixed coil

3. a sensitive rate-of-climb indicator, used mainly in gliders

---

Etymology

Origin of variometer

1895–1900; vari- ( see various) + -o- + -meter

Example Sentences

GlideMate also tracks rates of ascent or descent, mimicking a device called a variometer and allowing him to leave some bulky gear behind when he flies.

From Washington Post

The special glider dashboard instrument is a variometer, which shows a pilot whether he is in one of these upward thermals or in a downward air current.

From Time Magazine Archive

You can "peg" your variometer here with no trouble at all -- i.e., rise faster than the 1,000 ft. a minute that the beeping rate-of-climb gauge will register.

From Time Magazine Archive

When amateur stations of small power are sending on these short waves this style of variometer keeps the electric oscillations at their greatest strength and, hence, the reproduced sounds will be of maximum intensity.

From The Radio Amateur's Hand Book by Collins, A. Frederick (Archie Frederick)

Differing from the ordinary loose coupler the variometer has no movable contacts while the variometer is provided with taps so that you can connect it up for the wave length you want to receive.

From The Radio Amateur's Hand Book by Collins, A. Frederick (Archie Frederick)