thermometer
thur-MOM-ih-tur
θərˈmɒmɪtər
An instrument for measuring and indicating temperature.
In the kitchen, this usually refers to a meat thermometer or a candy thermometer.
The story behind the word. Coined in the 17th century from the Greek 'therme' (heat) and 'metron' (measure). It is the literal 'heat-measurer'.
Commonly confused with
- thermostat: A thermometer measures temperature; a thermostat controls it.
Word family
- thermometric (adjective): Relating to the measurement of temperature.
Collocations
- meat thermometer
- digital thermometer
- candy thermometer
Example sentences
- "A meat thermometer is the only way to be sure that the chicken is cooked through." Food safety
- "Clip the thermometer to the side of the pan to monitor the sugar as it reaches the hard-crack stage." Candy making
Memory hook
THERMO (heat) + METER (measure). Heat measurer.
When not to use
Rarely used metaphorically in cooking, unlike 'scale' or 'precision'.
Fun facts
- The first thermometers didn't have a scale; they just showed if something was getting hotter or colder.
Explore more words
Temperature, vital signs, caloric, shelf-stable, culinary, sous-vide
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