Huygens principle

American  

noun

Optics, Physics.

1. the principle that all points on a wave front of light are sources of secondary waves and that surfaces tangential to these waves define the position of the wave front at any point in time.

---

Huygens' principle Scientific  

1. The principle that any point on a wave front may be regarded as a source of spherical or circular wavelets. The sum of all such wavelets emanating from the front is same as the wavefront itself. This principle can be used to derive the laws of reflection and refraction.

2. See also superposition

---

Etymology

Origin of Huygens principle

First recorded in 1830–40; named after C. Huygens