Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of several instruments that measure atmospheric humidity.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An instrument for measuring the amount of the moisture of the atmosphere, or more accurately for determining the hygrometric state or relative humidity, which is the ratio between the actual amount of water-vapor present in the air and that required in order to saturate it completely.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Physics) An instrument for measuring the degree of moisture of the atmosphere.
  • noun a form of hygrometer consisting of a bent glass tube terminating in two bulbs, the one covered with muslin, the other of black glass, and containing ether and a thermometer. Ether being poured on the muslin, the black ball, cooled by the evaporation of the ether within, is soon covered with dew; at this moment, the inclosed thermometer gives the dew-point, and this, compared with the reading of one in the air, determines the humidity.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun meteorology An instrument that measures the humidity of the air or other gases, especially the relative humidity

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun measuring instrument for measuring the relative humidity of the atmosphere

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French hygromètre, from hygro- + -meter

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Examples

Comments

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  • "'There is an improved dipping-needle in one of those cases, together with a very delicate hygrometer of his own invention, a better azimuth-compass than anything I possess, and a Geneva cyanograph, as well as spare thermometers graduated by Ramsden...'"

    --Patrick O'Brian, The Thirteen Gun Salute, 32

    March 3, 2008

  • Digital ones are usually combined with a thermometer.

    December 22, 2008