Nicol prism

[ nik-uhl ]

nounOptics.
  1. one of a pair of prisms used to produce and analyze plane-polarized light in a polarizing microscope.

Origin of Nicol prism

1
First recorded in 1870–75; named after William Nicol (1768–1851), British physicist, its inventor
  • Also called Nicol .

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use Nicol prism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for Nicol prism

Nicol prism

/ (ˈnɪkəl) /


noun
  1. 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

Origin of Nicol prism

1
C19: named after William Nicol (?1768–1851), Scottish physicist, its inventor

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