fresnel

¹

[ fruh-nel, French frey-nel ]

noun

1. a unit of frequency, equal to 10 12 cycles per second.

Fresnel

²

[ fruh-nel; French frey-nel ]

noun

1. Augustin Jean, 1788–1827, French physicist.

Fresnel

¹

/ frɛnɛl /

noun

1. FresnelAugustin Jean17881827MFrenchSCIENCE: physicist Augustin Jean (oɡystɛ̃ ʒɑ̃). 1788–1827, French physicist: worked on the interference of light, contributing to the wave theory of light

fresnel

²

/ ˈfreɪnɛl; frɛnɛl /

noun

1. a unit of frequency equivalent to 10 ¹²hertz

Fresnel

/ frā-nĕl′ /

1. French physicist whose investigations of the interference, diffraction, and polarization of light helped establish the theory that light moves in a wavelike motion. Fresnel also made great contributions to the field of optics, including the development of a compound lens for use in lighthouses.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fresnel¹

First recorded in 1935–40; named after Augustin Jean Fresnel

Word History and Origins

Origin of fresnel¹

C20: named after Augustin Jean Fresnel (1788–1827), French physicist

Example Sentences

Fresnel therefore adopted the ingenious device proposed by Condorcet, that of constructing a lens of a number of distinct pieces.

From Project Gutenberg

But for lenses the burner has seventeen films of flame, and is said to possess six times the power of the Fresnel lamp.

From Project Gutenberg

At the close of the congress the foreign secretaries placed a crown on the tomb of Fresnel.

From Project Gutenberg

Now, Fresnel's theory always permits of this, to-day as well as before Maxwell.

From Project Gutenberg

No theory seemed more solid than that of Fresnel which attributed light to motions of the ether.

From Project Gutenberg