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Nicol prism
[ nik-uhl ]
/ ˈnɪk əl /
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noun Optics.
one of a pair of prisms used to produce and analyze plane-polarized light in a polarizing microscope.
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Also called Nicol .
Compare polarizer (def. 1).
Origin of Nicol prism
First recorded in 1870–75; named after William Nicol (1768–1851), British physicist, its inventor
Words nearby Nicol prism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use Nicol prism in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for Nicol prism
Nicol prism
/ (ˈnɪkəl) /
noun
a device composed of two prisms of Iceland spar or calcite cut at specified angles and cemented together with Canada balsam. It is used for producing plane-polarized light
Word Origin for Nicol prism
C19: named after William Nicol (?1768–1851), Scottish physicist, its inventor
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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