cymoscope

Meaning

Noun

• A detector of electromagnetic wave.

Origin

• First attested as cymatoscope in 1903 and as cymoscope in 1905; formed as cȳm- (the short stem of the Latin cȳma, from the Ancient Greek κῦμα, kūma, “wave”) + -o- -scope. Cymatoscope is philologically prescribed in place of cymoscope because it preserves the long stem (κῡμᾰτ-, kūmat-) of its ultimate Ancient Greek etymon, which properly does not form compounds on its short stem (κῡμ-, kūm-).