REFRACTION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does refraction mean? 

• REFRACTION (noun)
  The noun REFRACTION has 2 senses:

1. the change in direction of a propagating wave (light or sound) when passing from one medium to another

2. the amount by which a propagating wave is bent

  Familiarity information: REFRACTION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REFRACTION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The change in direction of a propagating wave (light or sound) when passing from one medium to another

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Hypernyms ("refraction" is a kind of...):

physical phenomenon (a natural phenomenon involving the physical properties of matter and energy)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "refraction"):

birefringence; double refraction (splitting a ray into two parallel rays polarized perpendicularly)

Derivation:

refract (subject to refraction)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The amount by which a propagating wave is bent

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

deflection; deflexion; refraction

Hypernyms ("refraction" is a kind of...):

bend; bending (movement that causes the formation of a curve)

 Context examples 

Low vision generally refers to visual disorders that are caused by diseases that cannot be corrected by refraction (e.g., MACULAR DEGENERATION; RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA; DIABETIC RETINOPATHY, etc.).

(Partial Sight, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

An instrument used to measure an event involving emission, absorption, or refraction of light.

(Optical Instrument, NCI Thesaurus)

Refraction of light contributing to eye's focusing ability is its characteristic function.

(Cornea, NCI Thesaurus)

An optical condition in the eye where there is an error of refraction of light rays on the retina.

(Ametropia, NCI Thesaurus)

The red sunlight was shining on the windows of St. Mary's Church behind our seat, and as the sun dipped there was just sufficient change in the refraction and reflection to make it appear as if the light moved.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)