SPECTRAL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does spectral mean? 

• SPECTRAL (adjective)
  The adjective SPECTRAL has 2 senses:

1. of or relating to a spectrum

2. resembling or characteristic of a phantom

  Familiarity information: SPECTRAL used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SPECTRAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of or relating to a spectrum

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

spectral analysis

Pertainym:

spectrum (an ordered array of the components of an emission or wave)

Derivation:

spectrum (a broad range of related objects or values or qualities or ideas or activities)

spectrum (an ordered array of the components of an emission or wave)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Resembling or characteristic of a phantom

Synonyms:

apparitional; ghostlike; ghostly; phantasmal; spectral; spiritual

Context example:

spiritual tappings at a seance

Similar:

supernatural (not existing in nature or subject to explanation according to natural laws; not physical or material)

 Context examples 

A type of spectroscopy that measures power spectral density of surface morphology by exploiting the tendency of light to disperse into a range of directions as a result of physical interaction.

(Light-Scattering Spectroscopy, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

Every tree species has its own spectral signature — it absorbs or reflects light in a specific pattern across all the wavelengths in the spectrum of light.

(NASA Satellite Images Uncover Underground Forest Fungi, NASA)

But these experiments never produced a mixture with a spectral signature to match to the one seen by Cassini; neither have similar experiments conducted by other groups.

(Experiments recreate aromatic flavors of Titan, NASA)

The team detected the unique spectral signature of molecules made up of aluminum-26 and fluorine (26AlF) in the debris surrounding CK Vulpeculae, which is about 2000 light-years from Earth.

(Stellar Corpse Reveals Origin of Radioactive Molecules, ESO)

The simultaneous hybridization of multiple chromosome painting probes, each tagged with a specific fluorochrome or fluorochrome combination, has resulted in the differential color display of chromosomes, i.e. spectral or color karyotyping.

(Chromosome Painting, NCI Thesaurus)

Meanwhile, optical light data from SDSS and LBT showed characteristic spectral signatures of material being consumed by the three supermassive black holes.

(Three Black Holes on Collision Course, NASA)

It was the first time Cassini was close enough to create a spectral map of the surface of the innermost moon Pan.

(NASA's Cassini Finds Saturn's Rings Coat Tiny Moons, NASA)

The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on June 3, 2016 using a spectral filter which preferentially admits wavelengths of ultraviolet light centered at 338 nanometers.

(Regarding Rhea, NASA)

Laboratory experiments were used to find a chemical mixture that matched the cloud’s spectral signature — the chemical fingerprint measured by the CIRS instrument.

(NASA Team Finds Noxious Ice Cloud on Saturn’s Moon Titan, NASA)

To produce the spectral fingerprints seen by the team, the upper atmosphere of WASP-18b would have to be loaded with carbon monoxide.

(WASP-18b Has Smothering Stratosphere Without Water, NASA)