ATOMIC CLOCK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does atomic clock mean? 

• ATOMIC CLOCK (noun)
  The noun ATOMIC CLOCK has 1 sense:

1. a timepiece that derives its time scale from the vibration of atoms or molecules

  Familiarity information: ATOMIC CLOCK used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ATOMIC CLOCK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A timepiece that derives its time scale from the vibration of atoms or molecules

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("atomic clock" is a kind of...):

horologe; timekeeper; timepiece (a measuring instrument or device for keeping time)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "atomic clock"):

ammonia clock (an atomic clock based on vibrational frequency of the nitrogen atom in the ammonia molecule)

caesium clock (an atomic clock based on the energy difference between two states of the caesium nucleus in a magnetic field)