What does accelerometer mean?
An accelerometer is an instrument that measures acceleration — the rate at which an object's velocity changes — as well as related effects such as vibration, shock, and tilt. Most modern accelerometers are tiny microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) etched onto silicon chips, making them cheap enough to embed in everyday devices. Smartphones use them to detect orientation so screens can rotate automatically, fitness trackers rely on them to count steps, cars use them to trigger airbags during sudden deceleration, and aircraft and spacecraft depend on them for navigation. Engineers also employ highly sensitive accelerometers to monitor buildings, bridges, and seismic activity. The word combines 'acceleration' with '-meter', the standard suffix for measuring instruments. Though technical in register, the term has entered general vocabulary through its ubiquity in consumer gadgets, and it is now one of the most widely deployed sensors in the world.
nounAn instrument that measures acceleration, typically the rate of change of velocity of a body or the forces of vibration and tilt acting on it. Accelerometers are widely used in vehicles, aircraft, smartphones, and other devices to detect movement and orientation.
- An instrument or sensor that measures acceleration, vibration, or tilt, used in engineering, navigation, and consumer electronics.
"The smartphone's accelerometer detects when you rotate the screen from portrait to landscape."
"Airbags deploy in milliseconds because an accelerometer senses the sudden deceleration of a crash."
"Seismologists use sensitive accelerometers to record ground motion during earthquakes."
Regular plural; commonly used when discussing devices containing multiple sensors or comparing different models.
"Modern laptops contain accelerometers that protect the hard drive by detecting free fall."
There's an accelerometer in your pocket right now — it's the tiny chip that knows which way your phone is facing and counts every step you take.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of accelerometer
The word accelerometer is formed from 'acceleration', which derives from the Latin 'accelerare' meaning 'to hasten', itself built on 'celer' meaning 'swift', combined with the Greek-derived suffix '-meter' meaning 'measuring device'. The instrument emerged in the nineteenth century alongside the development of precision physics instrumentation. It shares its Latin root with words such as 'accelerate', 'celerity', and 'velocity'.
How accelerometer is actually used
A technical term common in engineering, physics, aviation, and consumer electronics; rarely used in casual conversation except in discussions of smartphones and fitness trackers.
Easily confused with accelerometer
A velocimeter measures speed (velocity) directly, whereas an accelerometer measures the rate of change of velocity (acceleration).
A gyroscope measures orientation or angular rotation, while an accelerometer measures linear acceleration; many devices combine both.