spectrum
Gradation without gaps
A spectrum is a range of values, qualities, or positions between two extremes.
Originally and most precisely, it refers to the band of colors produced when light passes through a prism—red through violet.
This scientific sense extends to any continuous range of electromagnetic radiation: the visible spectrum, the radio spectrum.
More broadly, spectrum describes any continuum: the political spectrum, a spectrum of opinions.
In medicine, autism spectrum acknowledges wide variation in how the condition presents.
On the spectrum has become shorthand for having autism or related traits.
Being made part
- representationDepiction or likeness
- neurodiversityInnate cognitive differences concept
- autismNeurodevelopmental processing difference
- ADHDNeurodevelopmental focus impairment
neurotypical · atypical · differences · traits · characteristics · accommodations · awareness · identity
Spatial repetition interval
- frequencyRate of recurrence
- radiationEnergy propagation through space
- infraredHeat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- ultravioletWavelengths shorter than violet
visible · gamma · microwave · radio · photon · hertz · megahertz · gigahertz
Refracted light arc
- prismLight-splitting optical element
- hueColor's specific character
- refractionWave bending between media
- chromaticRelating to color
red · violet · dispersion · saturation · tint · shade · tone · wavelength
Relating to sound
- frequencyRate of recurrence
- harmonicOf musical overtones
- overtoneSubsidiary meaning or harmonic
- pitchFrequency of sound
timbre · resonance · audible · infrasound · ultrasound · octave · tonal · noise
inclusion
Being made part
- representationDepiction or likeness
- neurodiversityInnate cognitive differences concept
- autismNeurodevelopmental processing difference
ADHD · neurotypical · atypical · differences · traits · characteristics · accommodations · awareness · identity · community
wavelength
Spatial repetition interval
- frequencyRate of recurrence
- radiationEnergy propagation through space
- infraredHeat-bearing electromagnetic waves
ultraviolet · visible · gamma · microwave · radio · photon · hertz · megahertz · gigahertz · nanometer
rainbow
Refracted light arc
- prismLight-splitting optical element
- hueColor's specific character
- refractionWave bending between media
chromatic · red · violet · dispersion · saturation · tint · shade · tone · wavelength · pigment
acoustic
Relating to sound
pitch · timbre · resonance · audible · infrasound · ultrasound · octave · tonal · noise · audio
spectrograph
Wavelength-separating recording instrument
- massQuantity of matter
- absorptionProcess of taking in
- emissionDischarged substance or act
bands · lines · peaks · signature · fingerprint · chemical · elemental · optical · infrared · atomic
continuum
Uninterrupted, gradual sequence
extent · span · array · gradient · scale · distribution · spread · variance · extremes · endpoints
- colorred, blue, green, yellow, orange
- Electromagnetic Wavesvisible light, radio waves, infrared light, ultraviolet light, gamma rays
- color termsblack, white, red, blue, green
- colorationpigment, pigmentation, hue, tint, saturation
- comparisonscomparison, compare, comparative, analogy, metaphor
- rankingsrankings, first, college rankings, second, third
spectrumpoint
Exact location or meaning
singularity · sliver · fragment · single instance · uniformity
spectrummonochromatic
Of one hue
monochrome · white light · black · colorless · achromatic
spectrumbinary
Consisting of two parts
dichotomy · either-or · black and white · pigeonholes · all-or-nothing
- political spectrumRange of belief systems
- color spectrumVisible wavelength continuum
- on the spectrumHaving autism traits
- light spectrumRange of electromagnetic wavelengths
- broad spectrumCovering many categories
- full spectrumIncluding all variations
spectral, full-spectrum, spectrums, spectrometer, spectroscopy, spectre, spectrometry, spectroscope, spectra