Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Sonar

//ˈsoʊ.nɑːɹ// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Artificial echolocation by use of electronic equipment, with hydrophones to locate objects underwater, using the same wave-analysis principles that radar uses. uncountable, usually

    "They were able to detect the sunken wreck using sonar."

  2. 2
    Dated form of sonar. alt-of, countable, dated, uncountable
  3. 3
    a measuring instrument that sends out an acoustic pulse in water and measures distances in terms of the time for the echo of the pulse to return wordnet
  4. 4
    A device that provides such echolocation. countable

    "They finally bought a new sonar to replace the 40-year-old unit that sometimes didn't work right."

  5. 5
    Any echolocation. broadly, countable, uncountable

    "Submarines and bats both use sonar to navigate."

Etymology

Etymology 1

By anacronymic evolution from SONAR.

Etymology 2

Acronym of sound navigation and ranging. Coined by American scientist Frederick Vinton Hunt in the 1940s, roughly contemporaneously with radar. The lowercase form (sonar) is by anacronymic evolution.

See also for "sonar"

Synonyms Antonyms Rhymes Sentences Translate Word Type Pronunciation Word Forms

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: sonar