sonar
Artificial echolocation by use of electronic equipment, with hydrophones to locate…Artificial echolocation by use of electronic equipment, with hydrophones to locate objects underwater, using the same wave-analysis principles that radar uses.
» There are two types of sonar—active and passive.
Meaning
3 senses(uncountable, usually)Artificial echolocation by use of electronic equipment, with hydrophones to locate objects underwater, using the same wave-analysis principles that radar uses.
They were able to detect the sunken wreck using sonar.
(countable)A device that provides such echolocation.
They finally bought a new sonar to replace the 40-year-old unit that sometimes didn't work right.
Sonar
гидролока́торgidrolokátor, сона́рsonár
(broadly, countable, uncountable)Any echolocation.
Submarines and bats both use sonar to navigate.
- 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
Examples
6 sentencesThere are two types of sonar—active and passive.
The bat's sonar abilities allow it to locate prey.
Sonar uses sound waves to 'see' in the water.
Sonar can be used to detect submerged objects, such as vehicles.
Passive sonar systems are used primarily to detect noise from marine objects (such as submarines or ships) and marine animals like whales.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
By anacronymic evolution from SONAR.By anacronymic evolution from SONAR.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: sonarsSynonyms
2 synonyms- 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:echo sounderasdic
Word family
4 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable