lidar

noun

li·​dar ˈlī-ˌdär How to pronounce lidar (audio)
: a device that is similar in operation to radar but emits pulsed laser light instead of microwaves

Examples of lidar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Grace will bound from one location to another using its thrusters, inertial measurement unit, star tracker, lidar and a situational awareness camera. Josh Dinner, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2025 Tesla's Autopilot update is on par with BYD's mid-tier version of its God's Eye system, which uses advanced computing and lidars to generate 3D images of a car's surroundings to assist navigation around obstacles. Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2025 In driver-assist systems, a lidar sensor uses lasers to create a 3D map of a car’s surroundings. Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2025 Airborne lidar at Guiengola, Oaxaca: Mapping a Late Postclassic Zapotec city. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lidar

Word History

Etymology

light + radar

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lidar was in 1963

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Cite this Entry

“Lidar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lidar. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.

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