Fresnel lens

noun

1. Optics. a large lens with a surface of concentric grooves of prismatic profile, used in automobile headlights, searchlights, spotlights, etc.

Fresnel lens

noun

1. a lens consisting of a number of smaller lenses arranged to give a flat surface of short focal length

Fresnel lens

/ frə-nĕl′ /

1. 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Fresnel lens¹

First recorded in 1840–50; fresnel

Word History and Origins

Origin of Fresnel lens¹

C20: named after Augustin Jean Fresnel (1788–1827), French physicist

Example Sentences

On the upper were two head-lights with a ship's anchor light (Fresnel lens) between them.

From Project Gutenberg