refraction
noun
re·frac·tion
| \ ri-ˈfrak-shən
\
\
Definition of refraction
1
: deflection from a straight path undergone by a light ray or energy wave in passing obliquely from one medium (such as air) into another (such as glass) in which its velocity is different
2
: the change in the apparent position of a celestial body due to bending of the light rays emanating from it as they pass through the atmosphere
also
: the correction to be applied to the apparent position of a body because of this bending
3
: the action of distorting an image by viewing through a medium
also
: an instance of this
Illustration of refraction
refraction 1: a light ray, b reflected ray, c refracted ray
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Examples of refraction in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Alas, none of these reflections and refractions of Gershwin’s work are even mentioned by Crawford as an insight into the composer’s immense influence. — Laurence Maslon, Washington Post, "The thoroughly modern genius of George Gershwin," 6 Sep. 2019 Some other graphical improvements coming to Minecraft, thanks to ray tracing, include direct lighting from the sun, more realistic shadows, and transparent materials like stained glass and water with reflection and refraction effects. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "Minecraft will get ray tracing for Nvidia RTX graphics cards," 19 Aug. 2019 In the funhouse-mirror refractions of the pool, a woman’s body may be viewed in a new light. — Amanda Hess, New York Times, "Women Crash the Pool Party," 3 July 2019 Slowing a wave changes its direction, a process called refraction. — The Economist, "How to make a flat lens," 25 July 2019 In effect, Compton went to Europe and made a New Wave film, a personalized and aestheticized refraction of this genre that both nods and winks at its conventions and uses them as a springboard for personal expression. — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, "Juleen Compton, a Director and Actor Whose Career Was Tragically Overlooked," 19 June 2019 This skid, or refraction, occurs because water is denser than air. — Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, "20 Things You Didn't Know About Rainbows," 22 Apr. 2019 Three words: reflection, refraction, and dispersion. — Lucia De Stefani, National Geographic, "24 brilliant pictures of rainbows around the world," 15 Mar. 2019 The first demonstration of negative refraction followed within months. — Quanta Magazine, "Physicists Close In on ‘Perfect’ Optical Lens," 8 Aug. 2013These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'refraction.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for refraction
refraction
noun
re·frac·tion
| \ ri-ˈfrak-shən
\
\
Kids Definition of refraction
: the bending of a ray when it passes at an angle from one medium into another in which its speed is different (as when light passes from air into water)
refraction
noun
re·frac·tion
| \ ri-ˈfrak-shən
\
\
Medical Definition of refraction
1
: the deflection from a straight path undergone by a light ray or a wave of energy in passing obliquely from one medium (as air) into another (as water or glass) in which its velocity is different
2a
: the refractive power of the eye
b
: the act or technique of determining ocular refraction and identifying abnormalities as a basis for the prescription of corrective lenses
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