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Synonyms

bifocal

American  
[bahy-foh-kuhl, bahy-foh-] / baɪˈfoʊ kəl, ˈbaɪˌfoʊ- /

adjective

  1. Chiefly Optics. having two foci.

  2. (of an eyeglass or contact lens) having two portions, one for near and one for far vision.


noun

  1. bifocals, bifocal eyeglasses or contact lenses.

bifocal British  
/ baɪˈfəʊkəl /

adjective

  1. optics having two different focuses

  2. relating to a compound lens permitting near and distant vision

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bifocal

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90; bi- 1 + focal

Vocabulary lists containing bifocal

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.

To train a bifocal vision on both the thing and its shadow is an act of respect that begins to undo fear of the unknown.

From Washington Post • Feb. 23, 2023

Then I swept the front porch, lugged waterproof throw pillows from the basement and located my bifocal sunglasses.

From New York Times • May 19, 2021

Among Donald Hall’s poetic abilities is a kind of bifocal perspective where he lets a detail’s richness expand in meaning and also, simultaneously, keeps it in a broad and long perspective.

From Slate • Jul. 5, 2018

As early as 1923, the US government was investigating a scam to fix prices of the nation’s best-selling Kryptok bifocal lenses.

From The Guardian • May 10, 2018

She peered down at him through bifocal glasses and handed him a hard plastic debit card.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

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