pinger

IPA/ˈpɪŋə(r)/
IPA/ˈpɪŋər/

pinger — noun

1. a small device fitted to a kitchen appliance such as an oven or microwave that m

1.名詞B2
釋義

a small device fitted to a kitchen appliance such as an oven or microwave that makes short high sounds when the time you set runs out, so you know that your food has finished cooking

例句

Eve's pinger beeped loudly from the cooker while she dried dishes, telling her the rice was ready.

pinger beeps loudly to alert the cook while busy with another task

Ryo listened for the pinger to ring before taking the boiled eggs off the stove.

pinger + to ring — waiting for the alert to act

同義詞
  • timer

    the standard, more general word for any countdown device; 'pinger' is more informal and specifically suggests the beeping sound

文法句型

pinger + go off

用法筆記

This sense is much more common in British English than in American English, where 'timer' is typically used instead. The word is informal and especially associated with older or simpler kitchen appliances.

常見錯誤

❌I set the pinger for twenty minutes on the microwave.
✅I set the timer / I set the pinger on the microwave for twenty minutes.
💡'pinger' is the device itself (or its sound feature), not the setting action.

2. an electronic device that sends out regular short sound pulses underwater, used

2.名詞C1
釋義

an electronic device that sends out regular short sound pulses underwater, used to mark a position, locate a submerged object, or track underwater animals

例句

Yara dropped a pinger into the water to mark the diving site for the boat crew.

drop + pinger into water to mark a location

The search team used a pinger to find the wreck of the old ship near the coast of Portugal.

同義詞
  • sonar beacon

    more specific technical term; 'pinger' is the informal, shorter counterpart used in field work

  • acoustic transmitter

    formal term for any device that emits sound pulses for positioning; broader than 'pinger'

文法句型

deploy + pinger

pinger + emit + pulses

用法筆記

In technical maritime contexts, 'pinger' refers specifically to a sound source used in acoustic positioning or echo sounding. It is often part of a larger sonar system rather than a standalone device. This sense is distinct from sense 1 (kitchen timer), which is purely about domestic appliances.

常見錯誤

❌The pinger beeped when the food was ready underwater.
✅The pinger sent out pulses that the sonar receiver picked up.
💡do not confuse the kitchen-timer meaning with the underwater-detection meaning.