diffract

American  

[dih-frakt] / dɪˈfrækt /

verb (used with object)

1. to break up or bend by diffraction.

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diffract British  

/ dɪˈfrækt /

verb

1. to undergo or cause to undergo diffraction

   to diffract light

   the light diffracts at a slit

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Other Word Forms

• diffractiveness
  noun
• diffractive
  adjective
• undiffracted
  adjective
• diffractively
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of diffract

First recorded in 1795–1805; back formation from diffraction

Explanation

When light or sound waves bend as they pass obstacles, they diffract. Need proof that sound waves diffract? Just call out to your friend while you stand behind a big tree! If you take a physics class, you'll learn about energy that travels in waves, including sound, light, and water. These waves move, spreading out after they pass through small openings and bending around the objects in their path. In other words, they diffract. Sometimes on a foggy night you can see the moon's light diffract around water particles in the air, forming a bright, glowing ring.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

diffract

The electron and positron do not diffract separately but instead act together as one wave.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 28, 2026

Another idea braids a beam of neutrons and a beam of laser photons so that the particles do not spread out, or diffract, as they travel through space.

From Scientific American ● Jul. 29, 2019

The crystal’s lattice structure causes the X-rays to diffract, and a special detector records the resulting pattern.

From Nature ● Oct. 28, 2018

The problem with freezing biological samples is that ice crystals diffract the electron beam, blurring the image.

From Science Magazine ● Oct. 4, 2017

I explained that I was ignorant of how X rays diffract, but Max immediately put me at ease.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson