metal detector

American

noun

an electronic device for detecting the presence of metal objects, as one used as a portable sweeping unit or one emplaced in an archway at an airport terminal to detect concealed weapons, explosives, etc.

metal detector British

noun

a device that gives an audible or visual signal when its search head comes close to a metallic object embedded in food, buried in the ground, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Visitors are searched, and cars and bags are swept by dogs and metal detectors.

From BBC

After passing through metal detectors, groups of about 750 people were being allowed into the hill town basilica's lower church every half an hour starting from 7:00am.

From Barron's

"And I was hooked on what they were showing me, so I decided I was going to get a metal detector."

From BBC

Security fears necessitated tight controls at the menorah-lighting festival, where guests passed through tiers of armed guards, off-duty police and metal detectors before reaching the music and holiday decorations.

From Los Angeles Times

Sunday, there were no metal detectors to set off—the library is equipped with only alarm sensors to deter visitors from stealing bar-coded library books.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023