diffraction
Pronunciation: /dɪˈfɹækʃən/
The English word “diffraction” has 2 meanings listed here.
noun
- The bending of a wave around an obstacle.
- The breaking up of an electromagnetic wave as it passes a geometric structure (e.g. a slit), followed by reconstruction of the wave by interference.
Etymology
From New Latin diffrāctiō (in which coined by Francesco Maria Grimaldi), from Latin diffrāctus, past participle of Latin diffringo (“to shatter, to break into pieces”). Coined in Physico-mathesis de lumine (1665) by Francesco Maria Grimaldi.
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More English words
- diffract
- diffractable
- diffractaic acid
- diffractal
- diffraction grating
- diffraction limit
- diffraction pattern
- diffractional
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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.