a phenomenon, observed for sound waves and electromagnetic radiation, characterized by a change in the apparent frequency of a wave as a result of relative motion between the observer and the source
Also called: Doppler shift
Word origin
C19: named after C. J. Doppler (1803–53), Austrian physicist
Doppler effect in American English
(ˈdɑplər)
the apparent change of frequency of sound waves or light waves, varying with the relative velocity of the source and the observer: if the source and observer are drawing closer together, the observed frequency is higher than the emitted frequency
Word origin
after C. Doppler (1803-53), Austrian mathematician and physicist
Examples of 'Doppler effect' in a sentence
Doppler effect
"she cried, but her shout was swallowed up in the Doppler effect of the huge rig as it roared past her.