Adjacent Words

Refract definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

REFRACT', v.t. [L. refractus, refringo; re and frango, to break.]
To break the natural course of the rays of light; to cause to deviate from a direct course. A dense medium refracts the rays of light, as they pass into it from a rare medium.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: subject to refraction; "refract a light beam"
2: determine the refracting power of (a lens)

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb Etymology: Latin refractus, past participle of refringere to break open, break up, from re- + frangere to break — more at break Date: 1612 1. a. to subject (as a ray of light) to refraction b. to alter or distort as if by refraction <to refract that familiar world through the mind and heart of a romantic…woman — Anton Myrer> 2. to determine the refracting power of

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. 1 (of water, air, glass, etc.) deflect (a ray of light etc.) at a certain angle when it enters obliquely from another medium. 2 determine the refractive condition of (the eye). Etymology: L refringere refract- (as RE-, frangere break)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Refract Re*fract" (r?*fr$kt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Refracted; p. pr. & vb. n. Refracting.] [L. refractus, p. p. of refringere; pref. re- re- + frangere to break: cf. F. r['e]fracter. SEe FRacture, and cf. Refrain, n.] 1. To bend sharply and abruptly back; to break off. 2. To break the natural course of, as rays of light orr heat, when passing from one transparent medium to another of different density; to cause to deviate from a direct course by an action distinct from reflection; as, a dense medium refrcts the rays of light as they pass into it from a rare medium.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(refracts, refracting, refracted) When a ray of light or a sound wave refracts or is refracted, the path it follows bends at a particular point, for example when it enters water or glass. As we age the lenses of the eyes thicken, and thus refract light differently. ...surfaces that cause the light to reflect and refract. VERB: V n, V • refraction ...the refraction of the light on the dancing waves.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. Deflect (rays), deviate, turn from a straight course.

Moby Thesaurus

bend, bias, crook, curve, deflect, deviate, diffract, diffuse, disperse, distort, diverge, divert, dogleg, hairpin, pull, scatter, skew, turn, twist, warp, zigzag