optical
adjective
op·ti·cal
| \ ˈäp-ti-kəl
\
\
Definition of optical
1
: of or relating to the science of optics
2a
: of or relating to vision : visual
b
: visible sense 1
optical wavelength
c
: of, relating to, or being objects that emit light in the visible range of frequencies
an optical galaxy
d
: using the properties of light to aid vision
an optical instrument
3a
: of, relating to, or utilizing light especially instead of other forms of energy
optical microscopy
b
: involving the use of light-sensitive devices to acquire information for a computer
optical character recognition
4
: of or relating to optical art
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Other Words from optical
optically
\ ˈäp-ti-k(ə-)lē
\
adverb
\
adverb
Examples of optical in a Sentence
The company manufactures microscopes, telescopes, and other optical instruments.
an optical illusion that fools most people
Recent Examples on the Web
Gaming mice should have more sensitive optical sensors that can detect smaller movements more quickly than a standard mouse. — Jess Grey, WIRED, "The Best Mouse for Every Kind of Gamer," 17 Aug. 2019 Internally, the Viper uses infrared light for its optical switches – rather than traditional mechanical switches – to transfer player's moves, slicing precious fractions of milliseconds from gesture to on-screen response. — Mike Snider, USA TODAY, "Video game accessories let you fine tune the feel, sound and seat of your game," 13 Aug. 2019 In a new study, researchers at the University of Toronto figured out a way to accurately measure blood pressure with your cellphone's camera by developing a technology known as transdermal optical imaging (TOI). — Fox News, "Selfies could measure your blood pressure, scientists discover," 8 Aug. 2019 The Viper uses optical switches in place of mechanical ones under its main left and right mouse buttons. — Cameron Faulkner, The Verge, "Razer’s new Viper is a light and fast ambidextrous wired gaming mouse," 2 Aug. 2019 Both places offer optical services for everything from exams to glasses. — Olivia Muenter, Woman's Day, "How To Decide Between A Costco and Sam’s Club Membership If You Don’t Want Both," 18 June 2019 Largan grinds the minuscule lenses and other optical equipment that goes into high-end smartphone cameras. — The Economist, "Taiwan’s computing titans are caught up in the US-China tech war," 6 June 2019 The members-only warehouse store will have several departments, including produce, meat, deli, bakery, pharmacy as well as an optical center, gas station, tire center, hearing aid center, a food court and a beer and fine wine section. — Paul Takahashi, Houston Chronicle, "Costco to open long-awaited Cypress store in mid-July," 5 June 2019 This firm may begin encasing in a single package the lenses and other components of optical systems that currently often hit the ground as a spray. — The Economist, "No one has yet been killed by re-entering space junk," 10 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'optical.' 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 optical
optical
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of optical
technical
: used to help a person see
: relating to or using light
: involving the use of devices that get information for a computer by identifying patterns of light
See the full definition for optical in the English Language Learners Dictionary
optical
adjective
op·ti·cal
| \ ˈäp-ti-kəl
\
\
Kids Definition of optical
1
: relating to the science of optics
2
: relating to seeing : visual
3
: involving the use of devices that are sensitive to light to get information for a computer
an optical scanner
optical
adjective
op·ti·cal
| \ ˈäp-ti-kəl
\
\
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