focal
Americanadjective
adjective
-
of or relating to a focus
-
situated at, passing through, or measured from the focus
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of focal
From the New Latin word focālis, dating back to 1685–95. See focus, -al 1
Vocabulary lists containing focal
Part 3 Vocabulary (Unit 2)
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Vocabulary from Readings, Part 3
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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.
The annual red crab migration, when millions of the crustaceans emerge from the forest and scramble to the ocean, is one focal point.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
“Things are out of balance right now and I do think there have been times where the public interest is the focal point and not the interest of companies.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
But formal diplomatic recognition is no longer the focal point.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
While the surge of migrants this year is extraordinary, Ceuta has long been a focal point for migrants attempting to reach Europe.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
Increasingly, a focal target was something that I had said, “Malcolm X” as a “demagogue.”
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
