Phrase guide

atomic clock

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

An extremely accurate reference clock whose operation is based on an atomic process, typically the frequency of electromagnetic radiation associated with a specified energy-level transition in an element such as cesium.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A radio clock.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: proscribed

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a timepiece that derives its time scale from the vibration of atoms or molecules

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: timepiece, timekeeper, horologe

Narrower terms: ammonia clock, caesium clock

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: atoomhorlosie — reference clock
  • Arabic: سَاعَة ذُرِّيَّة — reference clock
  • Chinese Cantonese: 原子鐘 /原子钟 (jyun4 zi2 zung1) — reference clock
  • Chinese Mandarin: 原子鐘 /原子钟 (yuánzǐzhōng) — reference clock
  • Czech: atomové hodiny — reference clock
  • Danish: atomur — reference clock
  • Dutch: atoomklok — reference clock
  • Esperanto: atoma horloĝo — reference clock
  • Estonian: aatomkell — reference clock
  • Finnish: atomikello — reference clock
  • French: horloge atomique — reference clock
  • Georgian: ატომური საათი (aṭomuri saati) — reference clock
  • German: Atomuhr — reference clock
  • Hungarian: atomóra — reference clock
  • Irish: clog adamhach — reference clock
  • Japanese: 原子時計 (genshidokei) — reference clock
  • Korean: 원자 시계 (wonja sigye) — reference clock
  • Latvian: atompulkstenis — reference clock
  • Macedonian: атомски часовник (atomski časovnik) — reference clock
  • Norwegian Bokmål: atomklokke — reference clock
  • Norwegian Bokmål: atomur — reference clock
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: atomur — reference clock
  • Polish: zegar atomowy — reference clock
  • Portuguese: relógio atómico — reference clock
  • Portuguese: relógio atômico — reference clock
  • Russian: а́томные часы́ (átomnyje časý) — reference clock
  • Spanish: reloj atómico — reference clock
  • Swedish: atomur — reference clock
  • Thai: นาฬิกาอะตอม (naa-lí-gaa-à-dtɔm) — reference clock
  • Turkish: atom saati — reference clock