: deflection from a straight path undergone by a light ray or energy wave in passing obliquely from one medium (such as air) into another (such as glass) in which its velocity is different
2
: the change in the apparent position of a celestial body due to bending of the light rays emanating from it as they pass through the atmosphere
also: the correction to be applied to the apparent position of a body because of this bending
3
: the action of distorting an image by viewing through a medium
also: an instance of this
Illustration of refraction
a light ray
b reflected ray
c refracted ray
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The root of refraction is seen in the notion that the path of a ray of light or wave of energy is "broken" when it is deflected or turned. The effects of refraction can be seen in a rainbow, which is formed when light rays passing into (and reflecting out of) water droplets are bent at different angles depending on their color, so that the light separates into bands of color. The amount of refraction depends on the angle and the type of matter; refraction can occur even when passing through different kinds of air. A mirage, such as you might see in the desert or over a patch of asphalt in the summer, occurs when light passing through warm air meets the very hot air near the surface; reflecting the sky, it often resembles a lake.
Examples of refraction in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebThe exam includes visual acuity tests that evaluate how each eye can see (e.g., reading charts) and a refraction test.—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 18 Aug. 2024 These elegant refractions are echoed in Once Again… (Statues Never Die), a 2022 video installation included in the Whitney Biennial.—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 12 July 2024 Here are the indie films that portray love in all its glorious kaleidoscopic refraction — in all its unconventional, mind-expanding, inconvenient and wholly undignified form.—Maybelle Morgan, refinery29.com, 5 Feb. 2024 These allow for in-depth studies of optical transparency and refraction across the ultraviolet to near-infrared spectral range.—Gairika Mitra, Interesting Engineering, 27 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for refraction
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'refraction.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
: the bending of a ray when it passes at an angle from one medium into another in which its speed is different (as when light passes from air into water)
: the deflection from a straight path undergone by a light ray or a wave of energy in passing obliquely from one medium (as air) into another (as water or glass) in which its velocity is different
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