optical

adjective

op·​ti·​cal ˈäp-ti-kəl How to pronounce optical (audio)
1
: of or relating to the science of optics
2
a
: 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
3
a
: 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
optically 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 As is the case with the RF 200-800mm, all these lenses include optical stabilization and work with rear teleconverters. PCMAG, 22 Mar. 2024 Beyond their optical brilliance, Piccioli’s designs are distinguished by a sort of luminance of purpose. Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 22 Mar. 2024 Both the ascent vehicle and waiting service module will begin phasing maneuvers needed to rendezvous and dock, made possible by inertial measurement units, radar and optical navigation, docking ports, capture mechanisms and software algorithms, again using Chang’e-5’s mission profile as guide. IEEE Spectrum, 20 Mar. 2024 Our eyes continue to be dazzled by optical tricks, such as trompe l’oeil patterns that collapse dimensions. Arlene Hirst, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Only the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max has the 5x optical zoom capability, while the iPhone 15 Pro caps out at 3x optical zoom. Florence Ion / Gizmodo, Quartz, 9 Mar. 2024 Whereas conventional electronics perform these calculations line by line, the new optical device performs the entirety of these computations at once. IEEE Spectrum, 4 Mar. 2024 Don’t look at the sun through any unfiltered optical device — camera lens, telescope, binoculars — while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer, according to NASA. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024 To confirm the galaxy’s primordial nature, the team will seek approval to aim a large optical telescope at it for tens of hours — ironically, in the hopes of seeing nothing at all. Mark Zastrow, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'optical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of optical was in 1570

Dictionary Entries Near optical

Cite this Entry

“Optical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optical. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

optical

adjective
op·​ti·​cal ˈäp-ti-kəl How to pronounce optical (audio)
1
: relating to optics
2
: of or relating to vision
3
a
: of, relating to, or using light
an optical telescope
b
: involving the use of a device that senses light to acquire information for a computer
an optical scanner
optically adverb

Medical Definition

optical

adjective
op·​ti·​cal ˈäp-ti-kəl How to pronounce optical (audio)
1
: of or relating to the science of optics
2
a
: of or relating to vision : visual
b
: using the properties of light to aid vision
an optical instrument
3
: of, relating to, or utilizing light
optical microscopy

More from Merriam-Webster on optical

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