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oscillator
noun
os·cil·la·tor
ˈä-sə-ˌlā-tər
1
: one that oscillates
2
: a device for producing alternating current
especially
: a radio-frequency or audio-frequency generator
Examples of oscillator in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The transmitting coil was connected to the oscillator, which generated current at an acoustic frequency, writes Mike Croll in his book The History of Landmines.
—IEEE Spectrum, 8 Jan. 2025
The monthly stochastic oscillator is not yet overbought, and the monthly MACD looks headed for positive territory.
—Katie Stockton, CNBC, 23 Dec. 2024
In more recent years, advances in semiconductor technology have allowed a single oscillator to drive a large number of solid-state amplifiers in near-perfect phase coordination.
—IEEE Spectrum, 24 June 2024
These ruggedized oscillators offer stability and reliability under harsh conditions, ensuring that communications and navigation systems can maintain accurate timing on the receiver side, even when GPS signals are compromised.
—Markus Lutz, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1798, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near oscillator
Cite this Entry
“Oscillator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oscillator. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
oscillator
noun
os·cil·la·tor
ˈäs-ə-ˌlāt-ər
1
: one that oscillates
2
: a device for producing alternating current
especially
: a radio-frequency or audio-frequency generator
Medical Definition
oscillator
noun
os·cil·la·tor
ˈäs-ə-ˌlāt-ər
: a device or mechanism for producing or controlling oscillations
especially
: one (as a radio-frequency generator) for producing an alternating current
More from Merriam-Webster on oscillator
Britannica English: Translation of oscillator for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oscillator
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