echolocation

noun

echo·​lo·​ca·​tion ˌe-kō-lō-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce echolocation (audio)
: a physiological process for locating distant or invisible objects (such as prey) by sound waves reflected back to the emitter (such as a bat) from the objects

Examples of echolocation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Moreover, the noise pollution associated with deep-sea mining technologies also has the potential to harm cetaceans, species like dolphins and whales that use echolocation to communicate, even though these creatures largely inhabit waters miles above where the direct impact of mining would be. Amber X. Chen, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2025 Over the years, our research team has learned a great deal from frog-eating bats about how sound and echolocation are used to find prey, as well as the role of learning and memory in foraging success. Logan S. James, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2025 It was once thought that only blind people could excel at echolocation, but research has shown that anyone can learn the skill. Simon Makin, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2025 On the prey side, evidence has been found that the scales on some moths’ wings absorb sound waves from predatory bats to keep them from echolocation to find them. Tim Stevens, Ars Technica, 22 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for echolocation

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of echolocation was circa 1944

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Cite this Entry

“Echolocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/echolocation. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

echolocation

noun
echo·​lo·​ca·​tion ˌek-ō-lō-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce echolocation (audio)
: a process for locating distant or invisible objects by means of sound waves reflected back to the sender from the objects

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