of or relating to the eye or vision
a less common word for optical
1535–45; < Medieval Latin opticus < Greek optikós, equivalent to opt ( ós ) seen (verbid of ópsesthai to see) + -ikos -ic
If you describe something as optic, it has something to do with eyes or vision. Your optic nerve, for example, sends information to your brain from your eyes. You'll most often find the adjective optic in anatomy or biology textbooks, describing the parts of an eye, or disorders involving the eye. Your optic disc is a tiny blind spot that all humans have on their eyeballs, and optic neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve. When it's a noun, optic is an old-fashioned, jokey way to say "eyeball." Optic comes from the Greek optikos, "of or having to do with sight."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The two companies also will work to expand Corning’s training program for fiber optic technicians at Catawba Valley Community College.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
In 1997, Gary Winnick’s Global Crossing invested a few hundred million dollars to lay fiber optic cable under the Atlantic.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
The authors suggested that high dose Wegovy may increase the risk of reduced blood supply to the optic nerve through mechanisms involving blood pressure drops, fluid loss, and instability in the autonomic nervous system.
From Science Daily • May 23, 2026
Nonetheless, Dominion’s Virginia-focused service zone is a hot commodity—and is home to the world’s largest concentration of data centers External link, thanks to the location of fiber optic hook-ups and relatively inexpensive land.
From Barron's • May 16, 2026
“And yours truly will continuously wink one optic or the other.”
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
