The wedge spectrometer design concept incorporates a tapered multilayer thin-film dielectric interference filter mounted in close proximity to a two-dimensional detector array such that each row of detectors receives energy from a different spectral band corresponding to the filter's bandpass at that position. This design concept is applicable to a broad range of spectral regimes, from the visible and near infrared through the longwave IR. Spectrometer design alternatives, performance characteristics, and development status are discussed.