Definition

1. Noun:
   • A medical instrument for measuring body temperature: A clinical thermometer is a device, traditionally containing mercury, specifically designed to measure the temperature of the human body. Its scale is graduated to cover a narrow range typically a few degrees above and below the normal human body temperature (approximately 98.6°F or 37°C).

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The nurse used a clinical thermometer to check the patient's fever.
  • Before digital thermometers became common, the clinical thermometer was a standard tool in every doctor's bag.

Advanced Usage

• "to read a clinical thermometer": to interpret the temperature indicated by the mercury level or digital display.
  • It's important to know how to read a clinical thermometer accurately.

Variants and Related Words

• Thermometer (n): A general instrument for measuring temperature.
  • A laboratory thermometer has a wider range than a clinical thermometer.
• Digital thermometer (n): A modern electronic device that measures body temperature, often replacing the traditional clinical thermometer.
  • The digital thermometer beeped when it had finished taking the reading.

Synonyms

• Medical thermometer: A synonym emphasizing its use in healthcare.
• Fever thermometer: A common informal term, highlighting its primary use for detecting fever.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "clinical thermometer" specifically refers to the traditional glass, mercury-in-glass type, though it is sometimes used more broadly for any thermometer designed for measuring human body temperature. Its defining characteristic is its calibrated scale suited for the narrow range of human body temperatures.

Noun

1. a mercury thermometer designed to measure the temperature of the human body; graduated to cover a range a few degrees on either side of the normal body temperature