Definition of "colorimeter" []

• Any of various instruments used to determine or specify colors, as by comparison with spectroscopic or visual standards. (noun)
• An instrument that measures the concentration of a known constituent of a solution by comparison with colors of standard solutions of that constituent. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Strips are thrown in the wash with eight - and 20-pound loads of clean clothing and later measured with a special device called a colorimeter to determine how much the soiling faded."
• "CR tests all laundry detergents on seven common stains and soils, using a color-sensitive instrument called a colorimeter to analyze how much stain remains after washing."
• "It seems that getting a colorimeter is a good idea, but I want to be sure that I get something that will suit my purposes."