spectrum

Bridgezipf 4.26

Pronunciation

/ˈspɛktrəm/(SPEK-trum)

Part of speech

nounneutral

Chinese

范围；光谱；谱系（一系列连续的事物；包括从一个极端到另一个极端的所有情况）

Definition

A range of different things or qualities; (physics) a band of colours or wavelengths.

Word family

  • spectral/ˈspɛktrəl/(adj)光谱的；幽灵般的

Collocations

  • across the spectrum
  • political spectrum
  • spectrum of opinion
  • broad spectrum
  • autism spectrum
  • colour spectrum
  • span the spectrum

Examples

  1. 1.The policy was criticised from across the political spectrum — both left and right found objections.
  2. 2.Mental health conditions exist on a spectrum, meaning individuals experience them in very different ways.

Synonyms

  • range/reɪndʒ/— a set of things
  • continuum/kənˈtɪnjuəm/— a continuous sequence
  • gamut/ˈɡæmɪt/— the complete range — formal

Etymology

from Latin "spectrum" = image, apparition, from "specere" (to look)