sonar
n. uncountablen. a system that uses sound waves to find objects underwater. You use it to see how deep the water is or to find things like fish and shipwrecks.
n. a system for detecting and locating objects submerged in water by emitting sound pulses and measuring their return after reflection. Often used in nautical and military contexts to map the seabed or track vessels.
The ship uses sonar to find schools of fish.
The submarine crew monitored the sonar display to navigate through the narrow underwater canyon safely.
Marine biologists utilize sophisticated sonar arrays to track the migratory patterns of whale pods without disturbing the animals with physical tags or invasive observation methods.
Often functions as an acronym (Sound Navigation and Ranging) and is typically used without an article when referring to the technology itself.