spectrum

Plural

spectra

1. 1.A range; a continuous, infinite, one-dimensional set, possibly bounded by extremes.

   • As Mr. Obama prepared to take the oath, his approval rating touched a remarkable 70 percent in some polling, a reflection of good will across the political spectrum.

2. 2.A set of frequencies that are used for radio-frequency communication; not necessarily a continuous range.

3. 3.Specifically, a range of colours representing light (electromagnetic radiation) of contiguous frequencies; hence electromagnetic spectrum, visible spectrum, ultraviolet spectrum, etc.

   • Current 3G technologies can send roughly 1 bit of data - a one or a zero - per second over each 1 Hz of spectrum that the operator owns.

4. 4.The autism spectrum.

   • He punctuated his words with a look into my eyes that might have been read as threatening or menacing by anyone who was not on the spectrum. But I am on the spectrum, and so I stared back at him.

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