Echolocation: meaning, definitions and examples
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echolocation
[ ˌɛkoʊlɛkˈʃoʊn ]
biological mechanism
Echolocation is a biological sonar used by several kinds of animals, primarily bats and marine mammals, to navigate and locate prey using sound waves. It involves emitting sounds and listening to the echo that returns from objects in the environment, allowing the animal to determine the distance, shape, size, and even texture of the object. This ability facilitates hunting and orientation in complete darkness or murky waters.
Synonyms
acoustic location, bio-sonar, sonar.
Examples of usage
- Bats use echolocation to find insects in the dark.
- Dolphins utilize echolocation to navigate underwater.
- Some species of birds can also employ echolocation.
- The use of echolocation in navigation is fascinating.
Translations
Translations of the word "echolocation" in other languages:
🇵🇹 ecolocalização
🇮🇳 इकोलोकेशन
🇩🇪 Echolokation
🇮🇩 ekolokasi
🇺🇦 ехолокація
🇵🇱 echolokacja
🇯🇵 エコーロケーション
🇫🇷 écholocation
🇪🇸 ecolocalización
🇹🇷 eko-lokasyon
🇰🇷 에코로케이션
🇸🇦 تحديد الموقع بالصدى
🇨🇿 echolokace
🇸🇰 echolokácia
🇨🇳 回声定位
🇸🇮 eholokacija
🇮🇸 echolokation
🇰🇿 ехолокация
🇬🇪 მექანიზმი ლოკაციის განსაზღვრისთვის
🇦🇿 eko-lokasiya
🇲🇽 ecolocalización
Etymology
The term 'echolocation' is derived from the combination of 'echo' and 'location.' The word 'echo' originates from the Greek word 'ēkhō,' which means 'sound' or 'to call out,' while 'location' comes from the Latin 'locatio,' meaning 'the act of placing.' The concept itself was recognized and termed in the early 20th century as researchers began to study how certain animals, like bats, were able to navigate in dark environments. The scientific community gained greater understanding of echolocation through various studies observing the behavior of these animals and the physics of sound propagation.