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• fresnel
  fresnel

  noun

  a unit of frequency, equal to 10 12 cycles per second.
• Fresnel
  Fresnel

  noun

  Augustin Jean, 1788–1827, French physicist.

fresnel

¹ American  

[fruh-nel, fray-nel] / frəˈnɛl, freɪˈnɛl /

noun

1. a unit of frequency, equal to 10 12 cycles per second.

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Fresnel ² American  

[fruh-nel, fray-nel] / frəˈnɛl, freɪˈnɛl /

noun

1. Augustin Jean, 1788–1827, French physicist.

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fresnel ¹ British  

/ ˈfreɪnɛl, frɛnɛl /

noun

1. a unit of frequency equivalent to 10 ¹² hertz

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Fresnel ² British  

/ frɛnɛl /

noun

1. Augustin Jean (oɡystɛ̃ ʒɑ̃). 1788–1827, French physicist: worked on the interference of light, contributing to the wave theory of light

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Fresnel Scientific  

/ frā-nĕl′ /

1. French physicist whose investigations of the interference, diffraction, and polarization of light helped establish the theory that light moves in a wavelike motion. Fresnel also made great contributions to the field of optics, including the development of a compound lens for use in lighthouses.

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Etymology

Origin of fresnel

First recorded in 1935–40; named after Augustin Jean Fresnel

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fresnel Fresnel

But originally, he designed them for lighthouses — it’s the invention that’s said to have saved a million ships — and today, Lego has announced a motorized lighthouse with its very own fresnel lens.

From The Verge ● Aug. 18, 2022

For fire starters he uses a fresnel lens, wax-coated matches.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 2, 2017

The cone-shaped system collects sunlight with a Fresnel lens approximately the size of a household window and channels that light into an optical fiber about as wide as a human hair.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026

Before the 11 a.m. boat ride back to the mainland, Dre Elmore likes to show off the retired Fresnel lens and the array of still-working machinery in the fog signal building.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2024

The first such lenses were invented by the French scientist Augustin-Jean Fresnel in 1819 to provide lightweight lenses for lighthouses.

From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2023

Even non-lighthouse enthusiasts can appreciate the museum’s enormous 1888 Fresnel lens.

From Seattle Times ● May 24, 2023

In 1820 the famous diaptric instruments of Mr. Fresnel were placed in Corduan on trial, and proved such a grand success that, gradually, they have been universally adopted.

From Illustrated Science for Boys and Girls by Anonymous