scanner

noun

scan·​ner ˈska-nər How to pronounce scanner (audio)
: one that scans: such as
a
: a device for sensing recorded data (as in a bar code)
a supermarket scanner
b
: a radio receiver that sequentially scans a range of frequencies for a signal
c
: a device that scans an image (such as a photograph) or document (such as a page of text) especially for use or storage on a computer
d
: a medical device for scanning a living body to collect diagnostic information see ct scanner

Examples of scanner in a Sentence

a price scanner at a supermarket
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Seven people were taken into custody by court officers, who also recovered two sharp objects, which somehow bypassed the courthouse’s security measures, which includes a metal detector and X-ray scanner. Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 28 Jan. 2025 The tunnels were discovered by experts from the Polytechnic University of Milan, who used ground-penetrating radar and laser scanners to map the 15th-century stronghold’s subterranean structures. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025 As for the corporate world, many companies housed in commercial office space rely on photo ID badges to verify whether or not someone should be let into a building, with some in high-risk industries leveraging fingerprint and face scanners. Ram Nikhil Dodda, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025 In a bid to reduce injury rates, providing the best medical facilities, including practitioners and scanners for the men’s and women’s teams, is a particular focus, according to an INEOS spokesperson. Charlotte Harpur, The Athletic, 13 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for scanner 

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scanner was in 1556

Dictionary Entries Near scanner

Cite this Entry

“Scanner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scanner. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

scanner

noun
scan·​ner ˈskan-ər How to pronounce scanner (audio)
: one that scans: as
a
: a device that senses recorded information
b
: a radio receiver that scans a range of frequencies for a signal
c
: a device that scans an image or document especially for use or storage on a computer
d
: a device for scanning a living body to collect medical information

Medical Definition

scanner

noun
scan·​ner ˈskan-ər How to pronounce scanner (audio)
: a device (as a CT scanner) for making scans of a living body

More from Merriam-Webster on scanner

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