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
Our thought bubble, from Axios' Ben Berkowitz: Boycott threats regularly make headlines, but their impact is usually more optical than financial.
—
Ivana Saric, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025
Equipped with an optical camera, Odin will snap photographs and transmit them to the mission team.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025
It was first developed and deployed in China, where it was rapidly discovered why mass transit needs rails — the optical guidance system kept wheels in the same place which rapidly destroyed the road surface.
—Nicole Kobie, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
The concentric layers of photon shields protect the sensitive optical instruments from the heat of the Earth and sun.
—Stephen J. Beard, USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for optical
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Ivana Saric, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025
Equipped with an optical camera, Odin will snap photographs and transmit them to the mission team.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025
It was first developed and deployed in China, where it was rapidly discovered why mass transit needs rails — the optical guidance system kept wheels in the same place which rapidly destroyed the road surface.
—Nicole Kobie, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
The concentric layers of photon shields protect the sensitive optical instruments from the heat of the Earth and sun.
—Stephen J. Beard, USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for optical
Cite this Entry
“Optical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optical. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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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