optics
Americannoun
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(used with a singular verb) the branch of physical science that deals with the properties and phenomena of both visible and invisible light and with vision.
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(used with a plural verb) the way a situation, action, event, etc., is perceived by the public or by a particular group of people.
The optics on this issue are pretty good for the Democrats.
Administrators worry about the bad optics of hiring new staff during a budget crisis.
noun
Etymology
Origin of optics
First recorded in 1570–80; from Medieval Latin optica, from Greek optiká “theory of the laws of light,” noun use of neuter plural of adjective optikós; optic, -ics
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Even for members who aren’t fully convinced of the policy, the optics of inaction have become increasingly difficult to defend.
From Barron's
By merging advanced 3D-nanoprinting with core principles of quantum optics, the researchers have created a compact, scalable system that could speed the arrival of practical quantum networks and more powerful quantum computers.
From Science Daily
"We were excited to be able to combine results from experiment and theory, across physics, chemistry, and optics, to learn something new about electron dynamics in the complex liquid environment."
From Science Daily
As protesters take on a powerful opposition, a silly costume takes control of the optics.
From BBC
Swedish soldiers participating in the exercise were handed $20,000 night-vision optics that broke because the aluminum in the goggles couldn’t handle the minus 40 degree Fahrenheit conditions.
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.
