From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishRelated topics: Physics, Opticsspectrumspec‧trum /ˈspektrəm/ ●○○ noun (plural spectra /-trə/) [countable]1VARIOUS/OF DIFFERENT KINDSa completerange of opinions, people, situations etc, going from one extreme to its oppositespectrum of
the ethnic spectrum of Americaacross the spectrum
The bill drew support from across the political spectrum.broad/wide/full etc spectrum
a broad spectrum of environmental groups
The two articles here represent opposite ends of the spectrum.2HPthe set of bands of coloured light into which a beam of light separates when it is passed through a prism3HPTCa complete range of radio, sound etc waves
the electromagnetic spectrumExamples from the Corpusspectrum• He said that the court was faced with a spectrum of possibilities.• Hundreds of asteroidspectra have been compared with laboratoryreflection spectra of meteorites and puremineralsamples.• Their songsappeal to a broadspectrum of musiclovers.• This ensures that we can supply the complete spectrum of materials to all our customers in the building trade.• The announcement has upset people all across the political spectrum.• One way to look at Cleveland is to say it is at opposite ends of the political spectrum with San Francisco.• People from across the religiousspectrum are now working together.• At one end of the spectrum were the Communists, and at the other, the Nationalists.• At the other end of the spectrum, the impact of child poverty on failing schools has never properly been addressed.• The spectrum of protest activity goes from peaceful to extremely violent.• You can find therapists along the whole spectrum, from caring and honest to cool and manipulative.opposite ends of the spectrum• Lonnie and Alfred occupiedopposite ends of the spectrum.• To demonstrate the diversenature of the subject, two articles are included here which representopposite ends of the spectrum.Originspectrum(1800-1900)Latin“something that appears, image”, from specere“to look (at)”
