[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/spectrum/)

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# spectrum

noun (a spectrum, spectra or spectrums)

«spectrum» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. The spectrum is the band of colours that white light splits into, as in a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spectrum/#m1)
2. A whole range of different but related things, from one end to another. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spectrum/#m2)
3. The autism spectrum: autistic people are said to be "on the spectrum". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spectrum/#m3)

### In the lessons

Used in science lessons about light: a prism splits white light into a spectrum. In everyday talk: "a wide spectrum of opinions". In lessons about difference and respect: autism is a spectrum, so every autistic person is different.

### Examples

- A prism splits white light into a spectrum. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spectrum/#x1)
- The rainbow shows the colours of the spectrum. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spectrum/#x2)
- Red is at one end of the spectrum and violet at the other. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spectrum/#x3)
- Our class has a wide spectrum of interests. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spectrum/#x4)
- My cousin is on the autism spectrum. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spectrum/#x5)
- Sound also has a spectrum of high and low pitches. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spectrum/#x6)

### Note

Plural: spectra (science) or spectrums. Remember the colour order with "Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain" or "ROY G BIV". Adjective: spectral.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «spectrum» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spectrum/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«spectrum» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/spectrum.html) on Mova free.