Jan. 24th, 2014

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psy·chrom·e·ter noun \sī-ˈkrä-mə-tər\

Another one of those words that sound like it would mean something else; so no, it doesn't measure how psychotic someone is. :P

Definition

: a hygrometer consisting essentially of two similar thermometers with the bulb of one being kept wet so that the cooling that results from evaporation makes it register a lower temperature than the dry one and with the difference between the readings constituting a measure of the dryness of the atmosphere.

...basically, a way to determine the degree of humidity in the air.

— psy·chro·met·ric adjective
— psy·chrom·e·try noun

Etymology:

From psychro-, derived from Ancient Greek psychros, cold, frozen+ meter, from Ancient Greek metron, to measure.

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use: circa 1741

Here's an illustration:
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