optical

Of or relating to sight; visual.

Adjective

  1. Of or relating to sight; visual.
    • Strabismus is an optical defect.
  2. Designed to assist or enhance sight
    • A microscope is an optical instrument.
  3. Of or relating to optics.
    • Refraction is an optical effect.
  4. Of or relating to visible light.
    • Optical telescopes don't work when it is cloudy.
  5. Incorporating light-sensitive devices.
    • An optical switch opens the door automatically.

Origin

Etymology tree English optic Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English optical From optic + -al.

Forms

more optical most optical

Derived

autoptical biooptical bioptical electrooptical extraordinary optical transmission fast blue optical transient floptical floptical disk integrated optical circuit magnetooptical magnetoptical monoptical nonoptical non-optical optical activity optical art optical astronomy optical axis optical bank optical black hole optical character recognition optical delusion optical depth optical disc

Noun

  1. Any special effect requiring laboratory work on the film.
    • It is a glossy film with gross, opulent opticals and little comic, or any, relief; it has the jaundiced complexion of an early 60s underground film, which it is; it is ponderous, Wagnerian, and feels about five hours...
    • If you plan to output back to film, opticals and effects can be shot on film or generated by computer and then transferred to film. - 2006, David K. Irving, Peter W. Rea, Producing and Directing the Short Film and...

Forms

opticals