X-ray tube

noun

: a vacuum tube in which a concentrated stream of electrons strikes a metal target and produces X-rays

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of X-ray tube was in 1896

Dictionary Entries Near X-ray tube

X-ray therapy

X-ray tube

XS

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Cite this Entry

“X-ray tube.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/X-ray%20tube. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Medical Definition

X-ray tube

noun
: a vacuum tube in which a concentrated stream of electrons from a cathode strikes a metal target and produces X-rays from the side of the tube at right angles in a quantity and intensity that is controlled by the cathode temperature and with a wavelength and hardness that depends upon the voltage applied to the tube terminals

More from Merriam-Webster on X-ray tube

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about X-ray tube

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