What does "scanner" mean?
One who scans.
Scanner
/ˈskænɚ/ noun
noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who scans.
- Grammar: scanner is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: image scanner, analyzer, antenna, digital scanner.
- Useful contrasts: manual reader, parser.
- Usage evidence: A scanner allowed one to determine if one's leg was really broken.
How to use "scanner"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "scanner" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "scanner" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "scanner" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "scanner" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "scanner" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "image scanner" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "scanner", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who scans.
"It is, perhaps, too much to assume that an elderly Melville read James, but he was an eager scanner of magazines and did read fiction in his later years."
- 2 a radio receiver that moves automatically across some selected range of frequencies looking for some signal or condition wordnet
- 3 A device which scans documents in order to convert them to a digital medium.
"He put the picture in the scanner, then e-mailed a copy of it to his family."
- 4 a radar dish that rotates or oscillates in order to scan a broad area wordnet
- 5 A device which scans barcodes or QR codes for the purpose of charging a customer, performing a price check or enquiry, printing a price label or sticker, checking an item in or out of the store or warehouse, or finding an item ordered through click and collect and its corresponding location; a pricing gun or HHT.
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 an electronic device that generates a digital representation of an image for data input to a computer wordnet
- 7 A radio receiver which iterates through a sequence of frequencies to detect signal.
- 8 someone who scans verse to determine the number and prosodic value of the syllables wordnet
- 9 A device which uses radiation (ultrasound, X-ray, etc.) to generate images of tissue or surfaces for diagnostic purposes.
"Chorban: I'm using a small scanner to gather readings on the keepers. Chorban: So far, I've had mixed results. I find it difficult to get near the creatures."
- 10 A device which uses optics to detect printed data (such as a barcode).
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
manual readerparser
Example
"A scanner allowed one to determine if one's leg was really broken."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "scanner"?
Common synonyms include: image scanner, analyzer, antenna, digital scanner, digitizer, dislike.
How do you use "scanner" in a sentence?
A scanner allowed one to determine if one's leg was really broken.
How do you pronounce "scanner"?
Pronounced /ˈskænɚ/.
Etymology
From scan + -er.