refract

verb

re·​fract ri-ˈfrakt 

refracted; refracting; refracts

transitive verb

1

a

: to subject (something, such as a ray of light) to refraction

Between them, Kirchhoff and Bunsen developed the spectroscope, which uses a prism to refract light.

—Paul Strathern

b

: to alter or distort as if by refraction

"Nope" is his twist on the alien-invasion film as refracted through the prism of [filmmaker] David Lynch.

—Cary Darling

Too often Indian food, and later Chinese—then the two most favored and accepted of foreign cuisines—became refracted through the prism of British food.

—Nigella Lawson

2

: to determine the refracting power of

refract a lens

intransitive verb

: to be subjected to refraction

The head of the figure is often surrounded by rings of coloured light caused by light diffraction. Like with a rainbow, this is caused by light refracting through tiny droplets of water in the air.

—Olivia Jones

Examples of refract in a Sentence

Light is refracted when it hits water.

Recent Examples on the Web

These histories continue to refract through American life today. —Michael Luo, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025

As sunlight reaches Earth's atmosphere, it is refracted toward the surface. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025

The palette was grapefruit pinks and dark, leafy greens as refracted through a glass of sparkling water; the presentation was as carefully carefree as her silky blowouts. —Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2025

Toward the end of the video, there are walk-on cameos from Lady Gaga and Rosé, the far more conventional duet partners with whom Mars has a pair of recent smashes, but who clearly want some of this refracted salaciousness for themselves. —Jon Pareles, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin refractus, past participle of refringere to break open, break up, from re- + frangere to break — more at break

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for refract

• abstract
• attacked
• attract
• contact
• contract
• detract
• distract
• enact
• exact
• extract
• hijacked
• impact

Kids Definition

refract

verb

re·​fract ri-ˈfrakt 

: to cause to go through refraction

Medical Definition

refract

transitive verb

re·​fract ri-ˈfrakt 

1

: to subject (as a ray of light) to refraction

2

: to determine the refracting power of or abnormality of refraction in (as an eye or a lens)