Fresnel lens
- Optics. a large lens with a surface of concentric grooves of prismatic profile, used in automobile headlights, searchlights, spotlights, etc.
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Origin of Fresnel lens
First recorded in 1840–50; see origin at fresnel
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Fresnel lens
- a lens consisting of a number of smaller lenses arranged to give a flat surface of short focal length
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Word Origin
C20: named after Augustin Jean Fresnel (1788–1827), French physicist
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Fresnel lens
[frə-nĕl′]
- A thin optical lens consisting of concentric rings of segmental lenses and having a short focal length. Placing a light source at the focal point of the lens gives rise to a strong beam of nearly parallel rays. Fresnel lenses are used primarily in spotlights, lighthouses, and the headlights of motor vehicles.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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