index of refraction

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noun Optics.

a number indicating the speed of light in a given medium as either the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to that in the given medium (absolute index of refraction ) or the ratio of the speed of light in a specified medium to that in the given medium (relative index of refraction ).Symbol: n

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Also called index, refractive index .

Origin of index of refraction

First recorded in 1820–30

Words nearby index of refraction

index-link, index-linked, index mineral, index number, Index of Industrial Production, index of refraction, index patient, index plate, index set, India, India chintz

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use index of refraction in a sentence

The Dallas Cowboys sell out their state-of-the art football stadium.
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We happily hoist our egg nog in the air, embrace each other, and raise our out-of-tune voices in song.
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DISH delivers a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience to every room of your home, wirelessly.
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The company recently partnered with Oakley to create a one-of-a-kind single malt Scotch flask.
The Restaurant, Flask, And Photography Worthy of The Macallan Whisky||December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

A helpful pictorial index provides photographs of the actual objects.
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You never know when you are going to stumble upon a jewel in the most out-of-the-way corner.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
But Lessard's a overbearin' son-of-a-gun all round, and he's always breakin' out in a new place.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
Mr. Slocum was not educated in a university, and his life has been in by-paths, and out-of-the-way places.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
The Spanish men-of-war, which were always painted white, had their colour changed to dark grey like the American ships.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Later on the commander of a German man-of-war and his staff were received and fêted by the Captain-General.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman

British Dictionary definitions for index of refraction

index of refraction

noun

another name for refractive index

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for index of refraction

index of refraction

A measure of the extent to which a substance slows down light waves passing through it. The index of refraction of a substance is equal to the ratio of the velocity of light in a vacuum to its speed in that substance. Its value determines the extent to which light is refracted when entering or leaving the substance.