n.
Pronunciation: di- ˌ frak- ' tä-m ə -t ə r
Function: noun
Date: circa 1909
: an instrument for analyzing the structure of a usually crystalline substance from the scattering pattern produced when a beam of radiation or particles (as X rays or neutrons) strikes it
– dif · frac · to · met · ric \ di- ˌ frak-t ə - ' me-trik \ adjective
– dif · frac · tom · e · try \ di- ˌ frak- ' tä-m ə -tr ē \ noun