n.
Pronunciation: ' spek-tr ə m
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural spec · tra \ -tr ə \ or spectrums
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin, appearance ― more at SPECTER
Date: 1671
1 a : a continuum of color formed when a beam of white light is dispersed (as by passage through a prism) so that its component wavelengths are arranged in order b : any of various continua that resemble a color spectrum in consisting of an ordered arrangement by a particular characteristic (as frequency or energy): as (1) : ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM (2) : RADIO SPECTRUM (3) : the range of frequencies of sound waves (4) : MASS SPECTRUM c : the representation (as a plot) of a spectrum
2 a : a continuous sequence or range <a wide spectrum of interests> <opposite ends of the political spectrum > b : kinds of organisms associated with a particular situation (as an environment) c : a range of effectiveness against pathogenic organisms <an antibiotic with a broad spectrum >