n.
Pronunciation: ' th ə r-m ə - ˌ k ə -p ə l
Function: noun
Date: 1890
: a device for measuring temperature in which a pair of wires of dissimilar metals (as copper and iron) are joined and the free ends of the wires are connected to an instrument (as a voltmeter) that measures the difference in potential created at the junction of the two metals