optical
adjective
op·ti·cal
ˈäp-ti-kəl 
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
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
An optical sorter, called PlasticMax, would target select plastics for baling.
—
Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 5 June 2024
Researchers can chemically engineer novel electronic and optical materials that are inherently stretchy, for instance.
—IEEE Spectrum, 4 June 2024
Hubble was initially hobbled by an error during the 94.5-inch primary mirror's fabrication that resulted in an optical defect known as spherical aberration, preventing the telescope from bringing starlight to a sharp focus.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 4 June 2024
One way is through optical character recognition or OCR.
—PCMAG, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for optical 
Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 5 June 2024
Researchers can chemically engineer novel electronic and optical materials that are inherently stretchy, for instance.
—IEEE Spectrum, 4 June 2024
Hubble was initially hobbled by an error during the 94.5-inch primary mirror's fabrication that resulted in an optical defect known as spherical aberration, preventing the telescope from bringing starlight to a sharp focus.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 4 June 2024
One way is through optical character recognition or OCR.
—PCMAG, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for optical
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.
Dictionary Entries Near optical
Cite this Entry
“Optical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optical. Accessed 8 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
optical
adjective
op·ti·cal
ˈäp-ti-kəl
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
Medical Definition
optical
adjective
op·ti·cal
ˈäp-ti-kəl
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