scanner

noun

scan·​ner ˈska-nər How to pronounce scanner (audio)
: one that scans: such as
a
: a device for sensing recorded data (as in a bar code)
a supermarket scanner
b
: a radio receiver that sequentially scans a range of frequencies for a signal
c
: a device that scans an image (such as a photograph) or document (such as a page of text) especially for use or storage on a computer
d
: a medical device for scanning a living body to collect diagnostic information see ct scanner

Examples of scanner in a Sentence

a price scanner at a supermarket
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.
Imagine a healthcare installation that has a deep data requirement to serve an MRI scanner or some other highly complex piece of equipment. Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025 Setup is easy thanks to the Deco App and intelligent security features like a home network scanner and parental controls safeguard you and your family from online dangers. Jade Chung-Lee, PCMAG, 26 Feb. 2025 McDonald entered Silver Cross Hospital’s emergency room July 20, knocked over a plastic shield barrier and then threw a computer monitor and scanner at an employee before kicking a security guard in the leg and taking a hand sanitizer dispenser from the wall and throwing it, police said. Dennis Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2025 In one of their studies, five people, while lying in a brain scanner, watched 30 minutes of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), a spaghetti western starring Clint Eastwood. Quanta Magazine, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for scanner

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scanner was in 1556

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scanner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scanner. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

scanner

noun
scan·​ner ˈskan-ər How to pronounce scanner (audio)
: one that scans: as
a
: a device that senses recorded information
b
: a radio receiver that scans a range of frequencies for a signal
c
: a device that scans an image or document especially for use or storage on a computer
d
: a device for scanning a living body to collect medical information

Medical Definition

scanner

noun
scan·​ner ˈskan-ər How to pronounce scanner (audio)
: a device (as a CT scanner) for making scans of a living body

More from Merriam-Webster on scanner

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