pinger
v.— «As searchers continue to comb thousands of square miles of ocean for debris from Air France Flight 447, their success could hinge on a device the size of a small flashlight that may well have been manufactured on Cape Cod. French authorities have deployed a submarine that will try to locate the plane’s data and voice recorders—the so-called “black boxes”—by detecting signals emitted by the underwater locator beacons attached to them. These beacons, more commonly known as “pingers,” are produced by only a few certified companies worldwide, including Teledyne Benthos in North Falmouth.» —“‘Pinger’ has key role in search for airliner” by Sarah Shemkus Cape Code Times (Hyannis, Massachusetts) June 6, 2009. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
How did the term Bohemian come to be associated with literary and artistic nonconformists who live outside mainstream society? In the early 19th century, the French term La bohème was applied to the Romani people, also known as the Roma, a...
The word filibuster has a long and colorful history, going back to the days when pirates roamed the high seas. Today it refers to hijacking a piece of legislation. Plus, the language of yoga teachers: When doing a guided meditation, you may hear...