{
    "term": "spectrum",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "a band of coloured lights in order of their wavelengths, as seen in a rainbow and into which light may be separated",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "A spectrum is formed by a ray of light passing through a prism."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Red and violet are at opposite ends of the spectrum."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Other species can perceive colours of the spectrum that are invisible to us."
                },
                {
                    "text": "These wavelengths correspond to red in the visible spectrum."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a continuous spectrum of light waves"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the ultraviolet part of the spectrum"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["visible", "colour/​color", "electromagnetic"],
                "phrases": [
                    "the colours/​colors of the spectrum",
                    "the… end of the spectrum",
                    "the… part of the spectrum"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a range of sound waves or several other types of wave",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the **electromagnetic/radio/sound spectrum**"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Physics and chemistry"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a complete or wide range of related qualities, ideas, etc.",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a broad spectrum of interests"
                },
                {
                    "text": "We shall hear views from across the political spectrum."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The policy has the support of a broad spectrum of opinion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a wide spectrum of interests"
                },
                {
                    "text": "These thinkers represent a wide spectrum of political perspectives."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There was consensus across the political spectrum."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The two speakers were chosen to represent opposite ends of the spectrum."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The newspaper covers a broad spectrum of opinion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The courses cover the full spectrum of levels."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["complete", "full", "broad"],
                "verb + spectrum": ["cover", "span", "represent"],
                "preposition": ["across the spectrum", "spectrum of"],
                "phrases": [
                    "at one end of the spectrum",
                    "at the other end of the spectrum",
                    "both ends of the spectrum"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "having an autism spectrum disorder",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The chance of having a second autistic child is much higher for parents with one child on the spectrum."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Disability"]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈspektrəm/",
                "audio": "sp/spectrum/spectrum__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈspektrə/",
                "audio": "sp/spectrum/spectra__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈspektrəm/",
                "audio": "sp/spectrum/spectrum__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈspektrə/",
                "audio": "sp/spectrum/spectra__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "early 17th cent. (in the sense ‘spectre’): from Latin, literally ‘image, apparition’, from specere ‘to look’."
}