velocimeter

[ vee-loh-sim-uh-ter, vel-oh- ]
/ ˌvi loʊˈsɪm ə tər, ˌvɛl oʊ- /

noun

any of various instruments for measuring velocity, as of a wave in water or of sound in air.

Origin of velocimeter

First recorded in 1842; veloci(ty) + -meter

Scientific definitions for velocimeter

velocimeter
[ vē′lō-sĭmĭ-tər, vĕl′ō- ]

A device that utilizes the Doppler effect to measure the speed of sound in water. Developed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, a velocimeter transmits a pulse of sound through water and measures its echo for changes in either pitch or frequency. Oceanographers employ velocimeters to study the interior structure of breaking waves; they are also used in hydraulic engineering and to study fluid flow.