Standard Lemma guide

oscillator

noun · 4 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: AA1 S AH0 L EY2 T ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A tuned electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform.

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

An instrument for measuring rigidity by the torsional oscillations of a weighted wire.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A pattern that returns to its original state, in the same orientation and position, after a finite number of generations.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: cellular-automata, computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: blinker, pentadecathlon

4

noun

Meaning 4

generator that produces sonic oscillations or alternating current

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: generator

Narrower terms: crystal oscillator, quartz oscillator, local oscillator, heterodyne oscillator

History

Etymology

From oscillate + -or.

Across languages

Translations

24 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: осцилатор (oscilator) — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Catalan: oscil·lador — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Chinese Mandarin: 振盪器 /振荡器 (zhèndàngqì) — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Czech: oscilátor — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Esperanto: oscililo — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Estonian: ostsillaator — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Finnish: oskillaattori — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Finnish: värähtelijä — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • French: oscillateur — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • German: Oszillator — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Greek: ταλαντωτής (talantotís) — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Hindi: दोलक (dolak) — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Italian: oscillatore — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Japanese: 発振器 (hasshinki) — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Korean: 발진기 (baljin'gi) — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Persian: نوسانگر (navasângar) — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Portuguese: oscilador — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Romanian: oscilator — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Russian: осцилля́тор (oscilljátor) — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Spanish: oscilador — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Tamil: அலையியற்றி (alaiyiyaṟṟi) — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Turkish: osilatör — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Turkish: salıngaç — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
  • Welsh: osgiliadur — an electronic circuit used to generate a continuous output waveform
Real reading context

oscillator in complete knowledge articles