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myopia

[ mahy-oh-pee-uh ]
/ maɪˈoʊ pi ə /
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noun
Ophthalmology. a condition of the eye in which parallel rays are focused in front of the retina, objects being seen distinctly only when near to the eye; nearsightedness (opposed to hyperopia).
lack of foresight or discernment; obtuseness.
narrow-mindedness; intolerance.

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Origin of myopia

1685–95; <New Latin <Greek myōpía, equivalent to myōp- (stem of mýōps) near-sighted, literally, blinking ((ein) to shut + ṓpseye) + -ia-ia
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use myopia in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for myopia

myopia
/ (maɪˈəʊpɪə) /

noun
inability to see distant objects clearly because the images are focused in front of the retina; short-sightedness

Derived forms of myopia

myopic (maɪˈɒpɪk), adjectivemyopically, adverb

Word Origin for myopia

C18: via New Latin from Greek muōps short-sighted, from mūein to close (the eyes), blink + ōps eye
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 myopia

myopia
[ mī-ōpē-ə ]

A defect of the eye that causes light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it, resulting in an inability to see distant objects clearly. Myopia is often caused by an elongated eyeball or a misshapen lens. Also called nearsightedness Compare hyperopia.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for myopia

myopia
[ (meye-oh-pee-uh) ]

Nearsightedness. Myopia is a visual defect in which light that enters the eye is focused in front of the retina rather than directly on it, so that distant objects appear blurred. Myopia can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or LASIK.

notes for myopia

The term is often used to indicate an inability to see into the future: “The new policy is incredibly myopic, and puts future generations at a great disadvantage for the sake of a few short-term gains.”
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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