laser
/ˈleɪzɚ/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.20 in modern English
5
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To point a laser at an aircraft, potentially disorienting the pilot or pilots.
noun
A gum resin obtained from certain umbelliferous plants.
Example Sentences
- "The bad news is that nearly every color laser is too big to share a desk with comfortably."
- "I've still got a few more sessions of laser to get rid of the rest of my facial hair."
- "I'm having my eyes lasered to correct my astigmatism."
- "None was any more sensational than No.6, a fantastic 27-23 last-gasp win over the Arizona Cardinals, cemented by a brilliant toe-sticking TD catch by Santonio Holmes in the back of the end zone with 35 seconds remaining on a pass lasered by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger."
- "The Engineering Experiment Station of the University of Idaho is cooperating in pioneer investigations of the possible use of LASERs in forest fire operation."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *lewk-der. Proto-Indo-European *lewk-to-s Proto-Germanic *leuhtaz Proto-West Germanic *leuht Old English lēoht Middle English light English light Proto-Indo-European *h₃emh₃-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₃emh₃-lo-s Proto-Italic *amlos? Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₂énts? Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰíder. Proto-Italic *amβi- Latin ambi- Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós Proto-Italic *plēnosder. Latin plēnus? Latin ambiplus? Latin amplus Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-der. Proto-Italic *θakos Proto-Italic *-fakos Latin -ficus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin -ficō Latin amplificō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin amplificātiōlbor. English amplification Proto-Indo-European *(s)tey-? Latin stimulus Latin stimulo Latin stimulatusbor. English stimulate Proto-Germanic *-ōd- Old English -ode Middle English -ede English -ed English stimulated Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs Proto-Italic *eks Latin ex Latin ex- Proto-Indo-European *mey-? Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *méyth₂eti Proto-Italic *meitō Old Latin mītō Latin mittō Latin ēmittō ▲ Latin -tiō Latin ēmissiōlbor. Middle French émissionbor. English emission Latin radius ▲ Latin -ō Latin radiō ▲ Latin -tiō Latin radiatiolbor. English radiation English LASER English laser From LASER, acronym of light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Coined by American physicist Gordon Gould in 1957. Originally called an optical maser.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈleɪzɚ/
- British English: /ˈleɪz.ə(ɹ)/